All diseases caused by asbestos(including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis) have an exceptionally long latency period. Lung cancer caused by asbestos can take as long as 35 years to develop. The amount of time the disease spends in latency is affected by how much exposure you’ve had to asbestos, and whether or not you have smoked. Smoking can promote the effects of carcinogens in the production of cancer.
Once asbestos fibers have been inhaled, their jagged microstructure can cause them to attach to the lung tissue. However, the actual development of lung cancer takes a long time. In order for lung cancer to be attributed to asbestos exposure, doctors say at least 10 years must have passed from the time of exposure to development of the cancer. Lung cancer has the highest chance of developing 30 to 35 years after exposure.
Tumor development usually begins after the asbestos fibers have caused enough:
- Irritation
- Inflammation
- Genetic damage
If you have further questions about asbestos-related lung cancer, please contact The Law Office of Brown | Kiely, LLP today (410) 625-9330 to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our experienced Baltimore asbestos attorneys. We serve patients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.
