New York City Asbestos Colon Cancer Attorney

Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths around the world. Colorectal cancers can occur due to family history and genetics, but they can also develop from exposure to environmental conditions and industrial carcinogens. One such carcinogen is asbestos or highly toxic silica minerals.

Asbestos colon cancer occurs when microscopic particles of asbestos are ingested through the esophagus, traveling through the gastrointestinal tract and eventually settling in the walls of the intestines. At the time of exposure, the affected person will not notice anything different. It takes time — sometimes decades — for these lodged particles to cause chronic inflammation and eventually cellular mutations that result in colon cancer. By the time the individual receives the diagnosis, it may have been decades from the time he or she initially came into contact with the material.

Asbestos colon cancer involves an out-of-control tumor growth in the cells that line the colon or rectum. It typically takes CT scans, blood tests and a colonoscopy to diagnose colorectal cancers. Diagnosing asbestos-related cancers can take more time, as symptoms arise decades after initial exposure. Luckily, asbestos colon cancer is not necessarily terminal. Unlike other asbestos cancers, such as mesothelioma, there are treatments that have successfully cured asbestos colorectal cancer.