How Much Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma?

How Much Exposure to Asbestos Is Dangerous?

There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. Even a single exposure can potentially cause a serious asbestos-related disease to develop years later, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis.

However, the risk generally increases with the amount, frequency, and duration of exposure. Workers who regularly worked around asbestos-containing materials may face a greater risk because asbestos fibers can accumulate in the body over time.

Asbestos exposure can happen in several ways:

• One-time exposure: A single incident may release asbestos fibers into the air, where they can be inhaled.
• Repeated exposure: Construction workers, shipyard workers, industrial workers, and others may have inhaled asbestos repeatedly over months or years.
• Secondhand exposure: Family members may be exposed to asbestos fibers carried home on a worker's clothing, shoes, hair, or equipment.
• Talc exposure: Asbestos-contaminated talcum powder and cosmetics may expose consumers to asbestos fibers.
• Environmental exposure: Asbestos may become airborne near mines, factories, demolition sites, or disturbed naturally occurring deposits.

Asbestos-related diseases often don't appear until decades after exposure. Mesothelioma, for example, typically develops 20-50 years after asbestos exposure.

As a national leading mesothelioma law firm, Sokolove Law has helped more than 9,500 families affected by asbestos exposure. See if we may be able to help you too.

How Much Asbestos Exposure Causes Cancer?

There is no way to predict exactly how much exposure will cause cancer in a particular person. The risk generally increases with greater and repeated exposure, but mesothelioma has also been linked to low levels of exposure.

What research tells us about asbestos exposure and cancer risk:

• There is no safe threshold: You don't have to be exposed to asbestos for years or work around it every day to potentially develop an asbestos-related cancer.
• More exposure generally means greater risk: The amount of asbestos inhaled, how often exposure occurs, and how long exposure continues all affect cumulative exposure and cancer risk.
• The type of asbestos matters: Studies have found substantially different mesothelioma risks among chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite fibers.
• Environmental exposure can carry risk: The TIPS study estimated that recent environmental asbestos exposure could result in an average lifetime mesothelioma risk of about 1 in 10,000, although risk may be higher for those exposed in heavily contaminated buildings.
• Occupational exposure can carry greater risk: Workers who regularly disturbed asbestos-containing materials have historically faced much higher mesothelioma risks.

Smoking and asbestos exposure together significantly increase the risk of lung cancer, although smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

Age at first exposure may also matter. One analysis estimated that, for the same level of exposure, someone first exposed at age 5 could have about 3.5 times the lifetime mesothelioma risk of someone first exposed at 25.

Can One Exposure to Asbestos Be Harmful?

Yes. While the probability of developing cancer after a single asbestos exposure is low, there is still a risk.

Even exposures lasting only a few days have caused mesothelioma, and every occupational exposure contributes to the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, according to OSHA.

"There is no 'safe' level of asbestos exposure for any type of asbestos fiber. Asbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma in humans."
– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Coming in contact with friable asbestos, which can easily crumble and release fibers into the air, generally poses a greater exposure risk than nonfriable asbestos-containing materials that are intact, sealed, or otherwise undisturbed.

Research also shows why even a limited exposure can matter. ATSDR notes that mesothelioma risk generally increases with total asbestos exposure — but because asbestos fibers can remain in the body, relatively minor exposures years earlier can still matter given mesothelioma’s long latency period.

What Can Asbestos Do to You?

When asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed, they can become lodged in the body's tissues and cause inflammation and scarring over decades. Eventually, that damage can become cancerous, causing tumors to grow and potentially spread throughout the body.

Asbestos exposure can lead to several diseases, including:

• Mesothelioma: A rare, aggressive cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or other organs.
• Lung cancer: Asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer, with the risk increasing substantially for people who also smoke.
• Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease caused by scarring of lung tissue after prolonged asbestos exposure.
• Laryngeal cancer: Cancer of the voice box that has been linked to asbestos exposure.
• Ovarian cancer: Asbestos exposure is also associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
• Pleural diseases like plaques: Areas of thickened or scarred tissue on the lining of the lungs. Pleural plaques are generally not cancerous but are a sign of previous asbestos exposure.
• Pleural thickening and pleural effusion: Asbestos can cause changes and inflammation in the tissue surrounding the lungs, sometimes leading to fluid buildup.

Some asbestos-related conditions are not cancerous but can still cause lasting breathing problems and other complications. Because these diseases can take decades to develop, a person may not realize that an exposure has affected their health until many years later.

Why Does Asbestos Cause Cancer?

Asbestos fibers can become lodged in the body after being inhaled or swallowed. The body has difficulty removing these tiny, durable fibers, which can cause persistent inflammation and damage nearby cells.

Over time, repeated cellular damage can cause genetic changes that contribute to the development of cancer. The long gap between exposure and symptoms is one reason asbestos-related diseases may not be connected to an exposure that occurred many years earlier.

Can Asbestos Kill You?

Yes. Asbestos exposure can be fatal because it may cause illnesses like mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that develops in the thin lining surrounding the lungs, abdomen, or other organs. As mesothelioma grows, tumors can interfere with the normal function of the affected organs and cause serious complications.

Pleural mesothelioma, the most common type, can cause fluid to build up around the lungs, making it difficult for the lungs to expand and eventually leading to severe breathing problems. The cancer can also spread to nearby lymph nodes and other organs as it advances.

Mesothelioma can ultimately become life-threatening through complications such as respiratory failure, infection, blood clots, or the effects of cancer spreading throughout the body. Although treatments can help some patients control the disease, mesothelioma remains a serious and often fatal cancer.

The American Cancer Society reports a 5-year survival rate of about 15% for pleural mesothelioma when considering all stages combined, although survival varies considerably based on factors such as how far the cancer has spread and a person's overall health.

How Long After Asbestos Exposure Do Symptoms Appear?

There are usually no symptoms right after someone is exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma typically has a 20-50-year latency period, meaning decades can pass between the first exposure and the development of symptoms or a diagnosis.

In a study of 312 pleural mesothelioma cases, researchers found latency periods ranging from 14-72 years, with a median of 51 years, according to the European Journal of Cancer Prevention.

What symptoms may look like during and after the asbestos latency period:

• 10-20 years after exposure: Most people will not have mesothelioma symptoms during this period. In a study of occupational cases, 96% had a latency of at least 20 years, making symptoms within the first two decades uncommon.
• 20-30 years after exposure: Mesothelioma can begin developing during this period, although many patients still have no noticeable symptoms. If early symptoms do appear, those with pleural mesothelioma may have a persistent cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
• 30-40 years after exposure: Symptoms may become more noticeable as tumors grow and fluid accumulates around the lungs. Shortness of breath, chest or lower-back pain, persistent cough, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss can occur.
• 40-50+ years after exposure: Mesothelioma is commonly diagnosed decades after the original exposure, and later symptoms can become more severe as the disease progresses. Pleural mesothelioma may cause difficulty breathing, trouble swallowing, or fluid buildup around the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma can cause abdominal pain, swelling, nausea, and changes in appetite or weight.

A typical latency range is 20-50 years, but this isn’t a symptom schedule. Two people exposed to asbestos around the same time can have very different experiences: One might already be showing symptoms after 20 years, while another may not develop any symptoms for 40 or 50 years after the same kind of exposure.

What Are the Symptoms of Asbestos Exposure?

Asbestos exposure itself usually does not cause immediate symptoms. Instead, symptoms may develop years or decades later if exposure contributes to an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis.

Among 247 people with malignant pleural mesothelioma, 77.4% had shortness of breath, 38.5% had chest pain, 29.9% had unintentional weight loss, and 10.1% had fatigue, according to Pleura and Peritoneum.

Common symptoms of asbestos-related diseases may include:

• Shortness of breath: Often the most common presenting symptom of pleural mesothelioma, particularly when fluid builds up around the lung.
• Chest pain: May develop when mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung or spreads into the chest wall.
• Persistent cough: A cough that does not go away can occur with pleural mesothelioma and other asbestos-related lung conditions.
• Unexplained weight loss: Nearly 30% of patients in one pleural mesothelioma study reported weight loss at diagnosis.
• Fatigue or weakness: About 10% of patients in that study reported fatigue when they presented for diagnosis.
• Loss of appetite: May occur as mesothelioma progresses.
• Fever or night sweats: These can occur but are less common presenting symptoms.
• Abdominal pain or swelling: More likely with peritoneal mesothelioma, which develops in the lining of the abdomen.

The specific symptoms depend on the asbestos-related disease and where it develops. In the same 247-patient study, pleural effusion, or buildup of fluid around the lung, was present in 71.4% of patients at diagnosis, and pleural thickening in 64.9%.

Symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so having one or more of these symptoms doesn't mean a person has mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.

How Does Asbestos Exposure Cause Mesothelioma?

Asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma by damaging the cells that line certain parts of the body, most often the lining around the lungs or abdomen. The disease usually develops slowly, often decades after the original exposure.

The process generally happens in stages:

• Exposure occurs: A person inhales or swallows microscopic asbestos fibers.
• Fibers remain in the body: The fibers can become lodged in tissues and are difficult for the body to remove.
• Inflammation develops: The body's immune response to the fibers can cause persistent inflammation.
• Cellular damage occurs: Asbestos fibers can contribute to oxidative stress, DNA damage, and other changes in nearby cells.
• Abnormal cells multiply: Over time, damaged cells can acquire changes that interfere with normal growth and repair.
• Mesothelioma develops: If enough harmful changes accumulate, cancer can form in the mesothelial lining.

Asbestos fibers can remain lodged in the body for years, causing ongoing inflammation and cellular damage that may eventually lead to cancer. Because this process unfolds slowly over decades, mesothelioma is typically diagnosed long after the asbestos exposure that contributed to it.

Does Everyone Exposed to Asbestos Get Mesothelioma?

No. Most people exposed to asbestos don’t develop mesothelioma, but exposure increases the risk of developing the disease. How much that risk increases depends on factors such as the amount and duration of exposure, the type of asbestos fibers involved, and how much asbestos remains in the lungs.

In a population-based study of asbestos-exposed people, estimated lifetime mesothelioma risk ranged from about 1 in 4 among the most heavily exposed building workers to less than 1 in 500 among most people with lower asbestos burdens.

The National Cancer Institute also notes that asbestos-related disease has occurred after brief exposures, although heavier and longer exposures generally carry greater risk. Mesothelioma remains rare overall: The CDC reported 2,669 new cases in the United States in 2022.

Does genetics affect the risk of mesothelioma?

Yes. Certain genetic factors may make a person more susceptible to developing mesothelioma after asbestos exposure, even at relatively low exposure levels.

One example is an inherited mutation in BAP1, a tumor suppressor gene that helps protect the body from certain cancers. Research suggests that people born with certain BAP1 mutations may be more sensitive to the cancer-causing effects of asbestos, increasing their risk of developing mesothelioma after exposure.

However, BAP1 mutations do not cause mesothelioma on their own. Rather, they may increase a person's susceptibility to the disease when they are exposed to asbestos.

What Should I Do If I Was Exposed to Asbestos?

If you have been exposed to asbestos, don't panic. A history of exposure doesn’t mean you will develop mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. However, it's important to tell your doctor and provide as much information as you can about when, where, and how it happened.

Because asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, keeping a record of your exposure history can be useful for your long-term health care.

If you suspect that you were exposed to asbestos, you should:

• Tell your doctor about the exposure: Make sure your current and future health care providers know about your asbestos exposure history, including the approximate date, location, job, and type of work involved.
• Document your exposure: Write down where and when you were exposed, what asbestos-containing materials you may have encountered, how long the exposure lasted, and whether you worked around others who handled asbestos.
• Ask about appropriate monitoring: Your doctor can consider your exposure history, age, smoking history, symptoms, and other risk factors when deciding whether you need medical evaluation or monitoring. No routine screening test is recommended for everyone exposed to asbestos.
• Do not disturb suspected asbestos: If asbestos may still be present in a home, workplace, or other building, avoid cutting, drilling, sanding, or otherwise disturbing the material. Have suspected asbestos evaluated and handled by appropriately trained professionals.
• Pay attention to persistent symptoms: Report unexplained or persistent symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, a chronic cough, or unexplained weight loss to your doctor.
• Get medical care if diagnosed: If you develop mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease, ask your medical team about treatment options and whether you should see a specialist with experience treating the condition.
• Consider speaking with an asbestos attorney: If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, an attorney can help investigate where and when the exposure occurred and explain whether you may have a legal claim.

Asbestos exposure does not automatically lead to illness, and there is no way to predict with certainty who will get sick. The most useful steps are to document your exposure, make sure your doctors know about it, avoid additional exposure, and seek medical evaluation if symptoms develop.

If an asbestos-related disease is diagnosed, preserving your exposure history can also help doctors and attorneys understand what happened and when.

How to Test for Asbestos Exposure

There is no routine blood test or other simple medical test that can determine whether someone has been exposed to asbestos. Instead, doctors generally evaluate a person's exposure history, including where they worked or lived, what materials they encountered, and how long the exposure lasted.

Imaging tests such as a chest X-ray or CT scan may detect signs of asbestos-related disease, but they cannot prove that someone was exposed to asbestos or predict whether they will develop mesothelioma.

Testing the material itself can determine whether it contains asbestos. A qualified asbestos inspector can collect samples for laboratory analysis. People should not collect or disturb suspected asbestos-containing materials themselves because doing so can release fibers into the air.

Can I Sue for Asbestos Exposure?

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be able to file an asbestos lawsuit. Even if the exposure happened decades ago, you may still have legal options.

Your eligibility depends on factors such as your diagnosis, where and how the asbestos exposure occurred, which companies or products may have been responsible, and the laws in your state.

An attorney can investigate your work history, military service, products you used, and other potential sources of asbestos exposure to determine whether another party may be legally responsible. If a loved one died from an asbestos-related disease, surviving family members may also have legal options.

What Is the Average Settlement for Asbestos Claims?

The average mesothelioma settlement is between $1 Million and $1.4 Million. However, many factors can affect the payout amount, including the type and severity of the asbestos-related disease, the person's age, medical expenses, lost income, exposure history, and the companies being held responsible.

Average mesothelioma verdicts range from $5 Million to $11.4 Million, but a verdict is not guaranteed, and these figures should not be used to predict what an individual case may be worth. Most mesothelioma lawsuits are resolved through settlements rather than going to trial.

What Is the Statute of Limitations on Asbestos Claims?

The statute of limitations for asbestos claims is generally 1 to 6 years, depending on the state and the type of claim. For mesothelioma, the filing deadline typically begins when the disease is diagnosed rather than when the asbestos exposure first occurred.

Most states give patients 1 to 3 years after a diagnosis to file a personal injury claim, although some allow longer. Wrongful death claims generally have a separate deadline that begins when the victim dies. The specific deadline depends on the state whose law applies, which may not be the state where you currently live.

How Much Money Is Left in the Asbestos Trust Fund?

An estimated $30 Billion remains in asbestos trust funds established to compensate those harmed by asbestos exposure. These trusts were created by asbestos-related companies that filed for bankruptcy, setting aside money to pay current and future claims.

Each trust has its own eligibility requirements, payment procedures, and available funds, so the amount a claimant may receive depends on the specific trust and the details of the claim.

There is no single national asbestos trust fund. Instead, dozens of individual trusts hold funds for those who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. An attorney can review a person's work and exposure history to determine which asbestos trusts a client may qualify for.

Sokolove Law: Fighting for Asbestos Exposure Victims Since 1979

For more than 45 years, Sokolove Law has worked with families affected by asbestos exposure and mesothelioma — investigating how exposure occurred, identifying the companies that may be responsible, and helping clients pursue the compensation available to them.

Along the way, we've helped more than 9,500 families and recovered over $5.5 Billion total in mesothelioma compensation.

There are no upfront costs or out-of-pocket expenses to work with our team of attorneys, paralegals, investigators, and registered nurses.

Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our online form for a free case review to learn more about your legal rights and options.

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