Years of research has lead to worldwide recognition that the act of smoking tobacco is hazardous for your health, leading to serious lung diseases such as lung cancer. Similarly, asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to deadly illnesses including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. A recent study lead by Steven B. Markowitz, MD DrPH, Professor of occupational and environmental medicine at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Queens College in New York, documents the increased risk of lung cancer when combining asbestos exposure with smoking, especially when a patient is already suffering from asbestosis.
The study’s findings were recently published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; the study looked the mortality records of 2,377 long-term insulators who were regularly exposed to asbestos and 54,243 other workers with no history of exposure to asbestos. Among non-smokers, asbestos exposure increased the rate of dying from lung cancer 5.2 -fold, while the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure increased the death rate more than 28-fold. For asbestos-exposed workers suffering with asbestosis, the risk of developing lung cancer for both smokers and non-smokers was significantly increased, however, the risk for dying from lung cancer was 36.8 times greater among asbestos-exposed smokers with asbestosis.
Whether you smoke or not, asbestos exposure is dangerous and is undeniably linked to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, contact the Philadelphia mesothelioma law firm of Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown and Sandler to discuss your legal options with a quality and seasoned asbestos lawyer. Our Philadelphia asbestos attorneys are committed to helping families affected by these devastating illnesses and have repeatedly secured fair and just settlements for our clients. Call us today at 215-569-4000 to schedule a free consultation or fill out our online contact form.
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