After our October issue on Women’s Health and our November issue on Men’s Health, I was contacted by Guillermo Thomas of the Public Outreach Department for the Mesothelioma Center. He liked what we were doing to inform our readers about health issues, and he sent some helpful links to expand on the information we provided.

This is why I do what I do. I want to get factual information out to as many people as I can. When someone reaches out with the same goal, it reinforces the need for a magazine like This Awful Awesome Life.

Our readers are like our family. We always want the best for them. Every month we try to be informative, thought-provoking, and entertaining. We offer tips and recipes to make life easier, and we always encourage them to keep reading about subjects of interest. When we can share potentially life-saving information it’s like the cherry on top.

In October and November, we addressed health issues. While we mentioned exposure to asbestos and the risk of lung cancer, we did not have information about possible links between asbestos exposure and breast cancer and asbestos exposure and prostate cancer. It’s important information for you to have in addition to the link between asbestos exposure and lung cancer.

Here is what we wrote about lung cancer in women and men:

Lung Cancer is the third leading type of cancer affecting women in the United States behind skin cancer and breast cancer. About 120,790 new  cases of lung cancer in women will be diagnosed in 2023 as compared to 117,550 in men. About 59,910 women will die in 2023 from lung cancer. It’s the number one cause of cancer deaths in the United States. On a happier note, those levels are dropping because more people are quitting or not starting smoking.

Most people diagnosed with lung cancer are over 65 years old. One in 17 women will develop lung cancer in her lifetime. Lung cancer rates for women have risen 84% over the past 42 years while they have declined by 36% among men. Why? More women started smoking during that period. There are also environmental factors contributing to lung cancer rates. Risk factors include tobacco smoke, exposure to asbestos, family history, secondhand smoke, exposure to radon, exposure to cancer-causing agents in the workplace or home, diesel exhaust, arsenic in drinking water, previous radiation therapy to the lungs, air pollution all may play important roles in the development of lung cancer. Factors such as smoking marijuana, secondhand smoke from marijuana, talc and talcum powder, e-cigarettes are currently being evaluated as possible cancer-causing agents. Because marijuana is still illegal in many parts of the United States and the world, many patients with lung cancer do not admit to smoking it, so the data may be skewed. Treatment for lung cancer may include surgical removal of part or all of one lung, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

Some people with earlier-stage lung cancers are reaching “cured status – no evidence of cancer for five full years after treatment.”

Lung Cancer is the most common cause of cancer death for men. Cigarette smoking causes an estimated 90% of all lung cancers. In 2021, almost seventy-thousand men were projected to die of lung cancer. Know the symptoms of lung cancer:

·       Shortness of breath

·       Persistent coughing

·       Wheezing

·       Coughing up blood

·       Chest pain

·       Fever

·       Unexplained weight loss

While some people who have never smoked will develop lung cancer from environmental factors or exposure to dangerous chemicals, the best way to prevent lung cancer is to not smoke or be around others who are smoking.

Guillermo sent us links about mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos and treatment options. I’ve read through them, and they are powerful resources to have in your arsenal. Instead of summarizing the information for you, we are providing the links for you to have:
https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/breast/
https://www.asbestos.com/treatment/cancer-centers/
https://www.asbestos.com/treatment/nutrition/

https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/prostate/

I encourage all our readers to check out this information. It may save your life.

Use caution when remodeling your home to prevent possible exposure to asbestos. If you work/worked in construction or manufacturing and think you may have been exposed to asbestos, have that conversation with your healthcare provider. Be vigilant about your health and if you develop any of the symptoms listed below, please have them checked out.

The effects of long-term exposure to asbestos may show not up for 10 to 40 years after initial exposure. The most common symptoms are:

• Shortness of breath

• Persistent dry cough

• Chest tightness or chest pain

• Weight loss from loss of appetite

• A dry, crackling sound in the lungs while breathing in

• Wider and rounder than normal fingertips and toes (clubbing)

Other sources for this article:

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asbestosis/symptoms-diagnosis