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While it has become common knowledge that asbestos exposure leads to a mesothelioma diagnosis, new information on other potential complications from the hazardous material is beginning to surface. A newly published case study has linked asbestos exposure to kidney cancer. The case study was published by occupational medicine specialists in Italy. The research includes the details of a patient who developed kidney cancer after reportedly being exposed to asbestos for seven years.
The patient had been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, which is the most common form of kidney cancer, by the medical staff at the Scientific Institute of Pavia. The diagnosis came after the patient was admitted for complaints of pain in his left flank, leading to his kidney being removed. However, 14 months later, the patient lost his life due to peritoneal mesothelioma.
This case is the second time an association between kidney cancer and mesothelioma has been recorded, leading doctors to believe there may be a link between the two. The World Health Organization has come out with an estimate that as many as half of all deaths caused by cancer developed in the workplace are caused by asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is accepted as a dangerous material already, but the nature of its toxicity is still not fully understood. In fact, as more information surfaces, it is believed that the full extent of the dangers it poses are not yet realized. The mineral was previously used commercially, especially in construction, yet is now known as one of the top hazardous materials to cause cancer, especially among workers. In addition to leading to many mesothelioma diagnoses, the material also elevates the risk of other cancers, with kidney cancer now making the list.
Asbestos most commonly shows its hazardous effects when inhaled or ingested. The microscopic fibers then become embedded in cells that line the pleural or peritoneal organs, thus the two types of cancer that can form. When those cells are embedded with the fibers, it causes cell death and inflammation, which in turn develops into malignant mesothelioma tumors. With the new evidence and information, the doctors at the Scientific Institute of Pavia who published the study now believe there is a chance that asbestos could play a similar role in the development of kidney cancer in particular.
The new possible development could have larger implications for the rest of the world. In the United States alone, tens of thousands of workers were exposed to the dangerous material during the peak of its use in the mid-20th century without knowledge of its dangers and are only just now beginning to feel the dire effects of the carcinogen.
Despite the knowledge the medical field has on the dangers of asbestos, workers continue to be exposed to the material, and many have just now begun to feel its effects. At Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler, our team of Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers can help recover the compensation you deserve for your medical needs. Contact us online or call 215-569-4000 today for a legal consultation in our Philadelphia offices.