Association of Asbestos Exposure with Lung Cancer

Asbestos is a well-known mineral to cause lung cancer. The causal relationship between asbestos and lung cancer was considered in the 1930s and proved in 1955. The use of asbestos began to be restricted and prohibited in the 1960s, with the detection of conditions such as mesothelioma and lung cancer in workers. After the first quarter of the 20th century, asbestos was determined as a Group 1A carcinogen in the "Carcinogenic Substances" list by the World Health Organization and the International Cancer Research Center. Most of the asbestos enterprises in the world have ceased their activities since the end of the nineties due to the negative effects of asbestos on human health. Today, the operation and trade of asbestos are banned all over the world. Asbestos, a speck of invisible fibrous dust, accumulates in the lungs when inhaled. It causes tissue damage in the lung due to its rough and hooked structure. Epidemiological studies have unequivocally revealed that asbestos exposure is the cause of diseases that can have fatal consequences such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, larynx and ovarian cancer, and asbestosis. Contact points of asbestos are environmental contact and occupational (industrial) exposure and asbestos exposure is an important public health problem in Turkey. To prevent serious lung diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis, asbestos removal should be done by authorized persons and natural environments should be rehabilitated. In addition, the planning and implementation of educational activities aimed at raising public awareness about the harms of asbestos in rural areas are necessary.