While colon and rectal cancers have numerous causes and risk factors, asbestos exposure has been linked to a higher risk of developing these types of cancer.
What Is Asbestos?
The National Cancer Institute defines asbestos as the “six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads for use in commercial and industrial applications.”
These naturally occurring silicate minerals resist heat, fire, electricity, and chemical damage, leading to their widespread use in various industries starting in the late 1800s and peaking during the 20th century.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified asbestos as carcinogenic to humans.
Sufficient evidence supports the link between asbestos exposure to mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer, while evidence for a connection to colon and rectal cancer is suggestive.
Common Sources of Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure is a severe occupational and environmental health hazard.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), asbestos fibers are “too small to be seen with the naked eye” and cause a build-up of scar tissue in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
Common sources of asbestos exposure include:
- Occupational Asbestos Exposure: Asbestos is one of the most dangerous occupational risk factors for workers in construction, shipbuilding, automotive repair, and manufacturing. Many workers handled asbestos-containing materials directly, often without adequate protection.
- Environmental Asbestos Exposure: Older buildings constructed before the 1980s may still contain asbestos in insulation, roofing, or flooring materials. Asbestos can also contaminate products and natural deposits in certain areas.
- Secondary Asbestos Exposure: Asbestos workers may carry asbestos fibers on their clothing, shoes, or tools, exposing their families to the hazardous material.
How Asbestos Exposure Occurs
The American Cancer Society notes that asbestos exposure usually occurs in one of two ways.
Asbestos exposure typically occurs through:
- Inhalation: Asbestos fibers can lodge in the lungs and cause long-term damage when inhaled.
- Swallowing: Asbestos fibers can also contaminate food or drinks, more likely in occupational settings where workers do not have proper hand-washing facilities or may eat and drink near areas with asbestos-containing materials.
The body’s natural defenses cannot break down or expel asbestos fibers, allowing them to accumulate and cause cellular damage over time.
This damage can lead to inflammation, genetic mutations, and eventually cancer, including colon cancer.
