Even though lung cancer rates continue to skyrocket, most people do not realize that tobacco products are not the only carcinogenic substances in our environment. In fact, there are many pollutants in the air that can easily cause serious damage to lung cells. Therefore, if individuals in your neighborhood or work area have lung cancer, it may be of some benefit to reassess your own risk for developing this particular disease.
As you may be aware, even a few small dust particles that have asbestos in them can cause lung cancer. Not so long ago, asbestos was commonly used in automobile brake linings. Regardless of how you look at it, each time these brakes were used, small particles of asbestos dust were released onto the highway, and into the air. If you work, or live near a highway, or a location where cars pass frequently, you may be at a higher risk for developing lung cancer caused by asbestos particles. This is just one of many reasons why you should take every precaution possible to avoid walking on dusty streets, or any other area where break lining debris may have been deposited.
At the current time, the escalating number of asbestos related cancers is being attributed to exposure that occurred several decades ago. Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the fact that each person may still come into contact with asbestos particles on a daily basis. In fact, you may even be surprised that there are a number of other hidden sources of asbestos in your environment.
Over the last few years, "natural" or stone jewelry has become very popular. In particular, the luster and shine associated with red, blue, and brown Tiger Eye tends to attract many people. Oddly enough, that beautiful shine comes from asbestos fibers housed within the jewelry. While there are no statistics related to this form of asbestos and cancer, it may be of some benefit to avoid Tiger Eye jewelry that has not been sealed with some type of polyurethane or other coating.
Chances are, you already realize that odor comes from tiny particles that get released into the air. For example, if you love the smell of roses, you are actually inhaling tiny particles from the flower. If you have ever held natural Tiger Eye, then you will immediately recognize that it has a distinct odor. Unfortunately, many people do not consider that some of those microscopic particles may, in fact, be bits of asbestos. It is also very important to realize that there will always be a bit of excess dust after a stone is polished. No matter how many times you wash a stone, it can take years, or even decades before each and every molecule of dust gets shaken loose.
In many cases, doctors can tell the difference between lung cancers caused by asbestos and ones caused by other carcinogenic substances. That said, it is equally important to realize that multiple types of cancer can exist at the same time. Considering the nature of lung cancers caused by asbestos, it is not inconceivable to conclude that cancers caused by asbestos are actually masked by the presence of other tumor types.
Under these circumstances, the best thing you can do is make sure that you stay away from as many sources of asbestos dust as possible. You should also make sure that you have yearly lung cancer screening in order to detect tumors as quickly as possible. Make sure you are getting your annual chest x-ray and when necessary, a chest cat scan; early detection can save your life.
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