Thursday, October 16, 2008

Asbestos Cancer: Odds of Linking Asbestos and Laryngeal Cancer

Asbestos Cancer

The link between laryngeal cancer and asbestos are yet to mature but there are indications that both are actually related. It is not yet known however, if asbestos truly causes laryngeal cancer since there are still insignificant materials to ultimately conclude that it is actually one of the major causes. Nonetheless, authorities are continually searching for further indications to draw absolute conclusions on the esophageal cancer and asbestos exposure. But it has been proven that asbestos exposure could elevate a person's risk towards developing laryngeal cancer.

Asbestos is used as a material for fireproofing. This is why it is often found in ordinary houses where extreme measures for fire protection is used. But the major sources of asbestos come from places where it is used primarily in the work field. Workplaces know to expose people to high degrees of asbestos materials are shipyards, factories, automotive, construction sites and other industrial sites and workplaces.

Cancer of the larynx is a relatively rare disease. In every 100 cases of cancer, only 1 is likely to appear as a laryngeal cancer. In United Kingdom, there were only 2,200 laryngeal cancer patients diagnosed in 2002. In the United States however, the laryngeal cancer translates from a minimum percentage of 2% for all cancers per year to a maximum of 5%. This accumulates only around 10,000 laryngeal cancers diagnosed a year. From this number comes the 4,000 who suffer death from the disease. Even with this high toll of mortality, there are still higher numbers of asbestos cancer cases than that of laryngeal cancer. The age in which laryngeal cancer is normally diagnosed is anywhere from 50 to 70 years of age which furthers the relationship between the development of cancer and asbestos. This is because most asbestos cancer patients develop the diseases fully during these ages when the asbestos fiber had completely damaged the affected areas.

Laryngeal cancer of course affects the larynx. This is basically the passageway of air. Thus it is easy for the larynx to contract diseases from materials that are floating in the air. It is also responsible for giving protection to the lungs during the passage of food during swallowing.

Asbestos, on the other hand, could never endanger the health of a person unless it is inhaled as asbestos fiber. This fiber comes from damaged materials containing or are made of asbestos. The two are connected, namely asbestos and laryngeal cancer, because the larynx serves as the passageway of the asbestos fiber when it is being swallowed or inhaled.

Laryngeal cancer and asbestos cancer also project similarities of symptoms. These include signs such as difficulty of swelling, hoarseness of the voice, breathing difficulty, weight loss, ear pain, persistent cough and development of mass somewhere in the neck.

The treatment of any asbestos related cancer in the larynx is dependent on the degree of aggravation, the extent of damage, location and size of the cancerous cells, and the time when the cancer was diagnosed. There are several treatment options that are the same with treatment for other types of cancers. These include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and removal of the larynx, either partial or full removal. But the latter options are applied only on extremely serious conditions. If the removal of the larynx is elected, other means of speaking and breathing could be used.

Laryngeal cancer, just like mesothelioma and other asbestos relayed cancers could also be filed as a case in the court of law. If you are a victim of asbestos exposure that led to laryngeal cancer, it is best to seek legal advice immediately to know your options in filing a case. However, substantial relation between asbestos exposure, the root cause of the exposure such as working for a company that uses asbestos and laryngeal asbestos must be established.

If so, you are entitled to compensation either through full court trial or settlement. The average amount of asbestos cases compensation is $6 million in 2001 and the amount increases overtime. This is also dependent to other major factors such as the credibility of the claim, the reputation of the lawyer and the degree of liability the company has towards the person.

The value of liking asbestos to laryngeal cancer varies depending on the perspective you want to look at it. So long as there is evidence that will support the claim, linkage could always be established.

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