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Gastrointestinal cancer
Although asbestos exposure is most commonly associated with mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other respiratory diseases, asbestos is a cancer-causing substance that can affect almost any part of the body. Asbestos-related gastrointestinal disease, while rare, is a serious concern for anyone who has been exposed to asbestos.
About the Gastrointestinal System
From the moment you take a bite of food, your body goes to work, digesting and converting the food into the nutrients and energy that sustain life. This process takes place in the gastrointestinal (digestive) system, a long, twisting route that extends from the mouth to the anus. The gastrointestinal route includes not only the esophagus, stomach and intestines, but also the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, which produce the juices that aid in digestion.
How Asbestos Affects the Gastrointestinal System
Studies have established a strong link between asbestos exposure and cancers of the stomach, esophagus and colon. What is less clear, however, is exactly how asbestos enters the digestive system.
Some researchers believe that inhaled asbestos migrates from the lungs to other parts of the body. Others suggest that asbestos fibers may be coughed up and swallowed, landing in the lining of the gastrointestinal system. But no matter how they get there, when asbestos fibers wind up in the lining of the digestive tract, their effect can be just as deadly as asbestos fibers that settle in the lining of the lungs.
Gastrointestinal cancer tumors tend to grow slowly. In the earlier stages, asbestos-related gastrointestinal cancer has no obvious symptoms, but symptoms may develop as the disease progresses. These symptoms include:
- Blood in the stool
- Unexplained changes in bowel habits
- Severe abdominal pain
- Involuntary weight loss
- Persistent heartburn, even after taking antacids
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and have a history of exposure to asbestos, you may wish to talk to your doctor.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Asbestos-Related Gastrointestinal Disease
Whether your doctor suspects that you have asbestos-related gastrointestinal disease or just wants to rule out the possibility, he or she may conduct one or more of the following diagnostic procedures:
- Blood tests. A complete blood count may be taken to determine the number of different types of blood cells as well as the amount of hemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body) in the blood.
- Chemistry studies. Your doctor may also perform chemistry studies to measure certain substances in your blood and/or urine. When too much or too little of a substance is present, it can be a sign of disease in the organ or tissue that produces the substance.
- Health history and physical examination. Your doctor will probably ask you about your health habits, past illnesses, and other aspects of your history. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, the doctor will want to know the details of that exposure. He or she may also perform a physical examination to look for any obvious signs of disease, such as a lump under the skin.
- Imaging studies. Depending on preliminary findings, your doctor may order imaging studies, such as an MRI or CT scan, to look for visual evidence of disease.
If your physician concludes that you have asbestos-related gastrointestinal disease, he or she will discuss your prognosis and treatment options with you and your family. Treatments for gastrointestinal cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy, as well as advanced new treatments that are currently being tested in clinical trials. Prognosis and treatment will be determined by factors such as:
- Whether surgery is an option - and if the cancer can be completely removed by surgery
- The size and location of the tumor
- Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
- The details of your exposure to asbestos – how long ago the exposure occurred, how long you were exposed to asbestos, and the degree of exposure you experienced
In general, most gastrointestinal tumors can be successfully treated. Even patients who are not completely cured of gastrointestinal disease may still enjoy a long lifespan.
If you or a loved one has a history of asbestos exposure, you may wish to visit our Testing for Asbestos-Related Illness page. There you will find information on the various medical tests available for confirming the presence of asbestos-related illnesses and abnormalities.
Diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer? Contact an asbestos lawyer today
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer, mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced asbestos lawyer immediately. Asbestos attorneys have helped thousands of workers sickened by asbestos win compensation for lost wages and medical costs.
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