Asbestos is everlasting, even in the body. Asbestos is harmful to your health, and this finding is now a consensus among all healthcare professionals. But how long it takes for the carcinogenic mineral to actually make itself known has now been determined by researchers. With this said, surviving mesothelioma is only possible through early detection.
Detection
Asbestos fibers are detectable in a person’s lungs for almost 40 years (at the same amount). This has shown healthcare professionals that the affected individual will probably die with asbestos still inside them. The dataset obtained contains measurements of the asbestos concentration in the lungs of a person, which is collected at intervals of 4 to 21 years.
Research teams have published their results, and all have come to the same conclusion: Mesothelioma is deadly if not detected and treated early on.
Results from decades of research
Asbestos, a fibrous mineral found in natural rock, is highly valued in various industries because of its bio-persistence. The ancient Greek word for asbestos stands for “imperishable.” The lung dust from asbestos has been analyzed for decades and researchers have finally confirmed that there is a human bio-resistance.
The data obtained confirm that the concentration of asbestos in a person’s lungs can, and probably will, remain stable over 40 years. This means that people with mesothelioma can get treatment for the disease early on but still have positive testing. These results apply to the asbestos-susceptible blue asbestos, brown asbestos, and the white asbestos. For the latter – which has been used the most in the industry – it has not been confirmed whether the fibers survive in the lungs or not.
Asbestos in the lungs
While foreign particles that have entered the lungs are usually trapped by cilia, transported back into the airways and coughed out, fine fibers (like asbestos) can penetrate deep into the alveoli. As a reaction, diffuse scarring may form due to this embedded dust. This is what doctors call “asbestosis.”
Since asbestos fibers are so bio-persistent, the immune system cannot degrade them. The phagocytes (cells that destroy foreign bodies) involved die and form asbestos dust. It releases ingredients that cause chronic inflammation, which can lead to this rare cancer. In addition, elements accumulate in this structure, which may also be responsible for the carcinogenic effects of the asbestos cancers.
A typical asbestos-related tumor is a mesothelioma, which affects, among other things, the pleura. But it can also cause various lung, throat, and ovarian cancers. That’s why asbestos has not been used since the 1990’s in most countries. Contact a doctor or learn more about it here.