Many workers in the field of construction and other industries were exposed to asbestos in their jobs. While they fear the prospect of getting Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos, the do themselves no favors by continuing to smoke.

The lungs are amazing body parts. They gases that we need to live into the body and then remove waste gases created by the process. That being said, they are fairly delicate and more than a few of us have done serious damage to them. I should qualify this by saying that I was the proverbial chain smoker for seven years. I'm not one of those righteous former smokers, but there is little doubt the practice does a number on your lungs.

No cancer is a preferable health problem, but lung cancer is really one you want to avoid. For millions of workers over the years, the possibility of their being diagnosed with lung cancer went up dramatically for no fault of their own. The problem? Exposure to asbestos. The fibrous form of various minerals was used heavily in everything from construction to the rail road industry and even on the brakes of most cars. The material was incredibly strong and very fire resistant, which made it a wonder material of sorts until it was determined to cause lung cancer among other health horrors.

The word asbestos is mostly reviled these days. People simply know to avoid it. The problem, unfortunately, is the disease can take 40 years or more to manifest as lung cancer, Mesothelioma or some other problem. That being said, simply breathing in asbestos fibers does not mean you will get lung cancer. Current studies seem to suggest there is about a 1 in 7 chance, although the figures change dramatically depending on how much exposure you had.

Smoking is bad for the lungs all by itself. Smoking combined with asbestos exposure is pretty much a double whammy on the lungs. The smoking weakens and decays the lungs. This gives the asbestos fibers more of a chance to borrow into the lung tissue and work their way into the chest cavity. The chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer is twice as great if you smoke and are exposed to lung cancer as it is if you just are exposed.

The good news is stopping smoking can make a huge difference. Those who stop put aside the coffin nails have their chance of being diagnosed with lung cancer drop a whopping 50 percent in only five years even when asbestos exposure occurs. If you have never been exposed to asbestos, the risk is reduced by 70 percent! In short, it is worth it if you want to live a long life.




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