Asbestos Related Lung Cancer (ARLC), as the name suggests, is cancer of the lung. Anyone who has been exposed to sufficient quantities of asbestos fibres is at risk of developing lung cancer. ARLC is quite rare in people who worked with asbestos, or asbestos containing products (ACMs) and did not also smoke. It is suggested that those who were exposed to asbestos fibres/dust and smoked are more prone to developing asbestos related lung cancer, than those who did not smoke.
Asbestos related lung cancer presents similar to other forms of lung cancer, as such it is extremely difficult to prove a diagnosis pinpointing it as being asbestos related. ARLC is generally diagnosed by way of biopsy and is extremely difficult to be confirmed as asbestos related. This possibly explains why there are relative few cases of ARLC seemingly diagnosed in Australia each year compared to other asbestos related diseases.*
Treatment for sufferers diagnosed with asbestos related lung cancer is essentially the same as for anyone else diagnosed with lung cancer. Options for treatment include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.
To relate ARLC to asbestos fibre exposure (in a legal sense), a person needs to have been exposed to significant quantities of asbestos fibres. This is particularly the case if the cause of the lung cancer can also be readily attributed to other more well known factors, such as ‘cigarette smoking’.
Not everyone who has been exposed to asbestos, even if they smoked, will develop asbestos related lung cancer or another asbestos related disease (ARD).
*Out of the 342 asbestos related disease compensation applications accepted/certified by the NSW Dust Diseases Authority in 2018-19 – only 21 (6.1%) were to sufferers of ARLC. Source: Icare annual report 2018-19
Supportive Care Options
Supportive Care Options is about maintaining or improving quality of life for sufferers of asbestos or dust related disease, at the same time allowing their loved ones to also have a quality of life during all stages of the disease. It is about working out what support and care options are available, and then putting in place strategies to help sufferers and their loved ones navigate the journey ahead in the best possible way.
Supportive Care Options should be discussed as soon as possible after diagnosis with your treating physician, hospital social worker or other care providers. You should also talk immediately with a specialist asbestos dust litigator regarding possible compensation.
Find Out More
To find out more to go to the Support & Care section of this website by clicking [here].