Lung Cancer Facts

Our Mission

The attorneys at Brent Coon & Associates have dedicated our professional lives to helping the families affected by asbestos. Lawyers at BCA have seen many communities nationwide devastated by asbestos exposure that occurred on the job.
A veteran of hundreds of jury trials, Brent Coon & Associates has obtained verdicts for many individuals in excess of a million dollars over the last decade and total settlements exceeding one billion dollars.

The firm has a full complement of trial lawyers and a large staff of paralegals, secretaries, investigators and other support staff. Brent Coon & Associates are a national firm with offices and affiliates across America.

The lawyers at Brent Coon & Associates have worked extensively with the families of victims of asbestos and lung cancer. If someone in your family has been affected by asbestos or lung cancer, you may have a potential legal claim.​​

Fighting for people’s rights, against companies who knowingly injured them with asbestos products, we are proud of our international reputation of standing shoulder to shoulder with those who are too frightened, weak, or simply unable to stand and fight alone.

Brent Coon
​Founder

Lung Cancer Causes.

There are many causes of lung cancer. At Lung Cancer Fact, we attempt to give you the facts about causes, effects and the reasons why people are affected by lung cancer.

This section discusses some of the lung cancer causes. These lung cancer risk factors include smoking, asbestos, coal mining, and firefighting, among others. Another lung cancer risk factor is hazardous material contaminants in soil.

Scientists have found that many lung cancer risk factors are linked to people who regularly work around asbestos, benzene and silica from coal mines, and firefighters. Other lung cancer risk factors include working in the shipbuilding, pipefitting, insulation installing, tile working, welding, refinery, and sanding businesses. On-the-job exposure is one of the most common lung cancer causes in the United States.

Smoking

One of the well-publicized causes of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes. Smoking is widely considered the #1 lung cancer risk factor.

One of the reasons lung cancer is so prevalent among smokers is because of the harm smoking causes to the lungs and nearly every major organ on the body, according to the Surgeon General in “The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2004”.

After quitting smoking, the lung cancer risk factor decreases. According to many scientists, within hours after smokers inhale that last cigarette, their bodies begin to improve, including a drop in heart rate, improved circulation, and reduction of heart attack, stroke and lung cancer risk factors.

Many smokers believe that smoking was their cause of lung cancer. There are a number of lung cancer causes, including exposure while on the job. If you’re an industrial worker, your lung cancer reasons may have been misdiagnosed.

Asbestos

One of the causes of lung cancer is asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral; which fiber was used widely in almost every industry and home.

Exposure to asbestos has been among the leading causes of lung cancer in certain individuals. Asbestos exposure can also cause mesothelioma (a rare tumor in the lining of the lung or stomach), colon cancer, and asbestosis.

Exposure to asbestos has been among the leading causes of lung cancer in certain individuals. Asbestos exposure can also cause mesothelioma (a rare tumor in the lining of the lung or stomach), colon cancer, and asbestosis.

Asbestos exposure has been known to cause cancer and disease in the bodies of shipbuilders, pipe fitters, drywallers, automobile repair workers, firemen, coal miners, cement workers, insulation and floor installers, welders, and other industrial workers. In addition, the spouses of industrial workers have been known to be at a higher risk of disease, because they often breathe in the fibers brought home on clothes. Last, those working in their home doing re-modeling or home renovation projects are at risk as well, because the products used on those projects in the 1950’. 1960’s, and 1970’s contained asbestos.

Asbestos causes cancer and disease many years after the initial exposure. If you have been diagnosed with a form of cancer caused by asbestos, you may have a legal right to seek compensation.

Coal Mines

One of the causes of lung cancer is exposure to coal dust. Exposure to coal dust can cause some coal mine workers to develop pneumoconiosis, or “black lung.” This occurs when inhaled coal dust becomes imbedded in the lungs, causing them to harden and making breathing difficult.

It is estimated that this disease affects 2.8 percent of coal miners. About 0.2 percent of coal workers have scarring on the lungs, the most severe form of the disease. Each year, close to 400 people die from black lung disease.

Firefighting

​The International Association of Firefighters believes that firefighters face an increased risk of developing acute lung disease during the course of firefighting work. It is believed that one of the causes of lung disease in firefighters is exposure to asbestos.

Firefighters can be at risk of developing the lung disorders asbestosis and mesothelioma if they breathe in asbestos dust. Older homes often contain components made with asbestos, including insulation, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roof shingles, flashing, siding, pipe cement, plasters, and joint compound. During a fire, asbestos particles from these materials can become airborne. If a firefighter is not wearing adequate respiratory equipment, he or she may inhale airborne asbestos.
If you are or have worked in coal mines or been a firefighter and have been diagnosed with a form of cancer caused by asbestos, you may have a legal right to seek compensation. That determination can only be made after a careful consultation with an attorney.

Lung Cancer Types

Lung cancer claims more than 150,000 lives each year. The disease is caused by several factors: smoking, asbestos, coal mining, and firefighting, among others, and can take several forms. These include small cell lung cancer, large cell lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

​Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer cells spread more quickly and are more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation treatments than large cell lung cancer cells. This type of lung cancer is also less common than large cell cancer, accounting for only about 20 percent of all types of lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer is a highly progressive disease. The cells often form metastases in the lungs and in nearby organs, making it impossible to treat with surgery. The usual treatments for small cell lung cancer include cryosurgery (freezing and destroying the cells), radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

The symptoms of small cell lung cancer include swelling in the neck, pain, tenderness, shortness of breath, and persistent coughing.

Large Cell Lung Cancer

There are three categories of large cell lung cancer: squamous cell carcinoma (also called epidermoid carcinoma), adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. Large cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer, accounting for 80 percent of cases.

The causes of large cell lung cancer are believed to be exposure to asbestos, exposure to harmful substances like benzene, fiberglass, radon and others, and the combination of cigarette smoke and exposure to toxic substances.​

Large cell lung cancer differs from small cell lung cancer in several ways. The cells can usually be treated with surgery even after they have spread, and they tend to grow and spread much more slowly. The cells also often do not spread outside the chest cavity until the disease is advanced.

The symptoms of large cell lung cancer include a persistent cough that worsens over time, continual chest pains, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, hoarseness, tightening in the chest, recurring pneumonia or bronchitis, inflammation of the face and neck, weight loss or loss of appetite, and extreme exhaustion.

Stages of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer usually does not cause symptoms in its early stages. Some of the symptoms of lung cancer include chronic cough, wheezing, hoarseness, weight loss or loss of appetite, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, and persistent cases of bronchitis or pneumonia. When symptoms occur, the cancer is often advanced.

The symptoms of lung cancer are common to other lung diseases, however. Therefore, a doctor performs a series of tests to determine the cause of the symptoms.

When lung cancer is first detected, doctors identify the stage of the cancer. This helps determine which treatment is best. Tests also are conducted to find out whether the cancer has spread, and, if so, to which parts of the body. This information helps doctors plan the most effective treatment.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a non-malignant, progressive lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. These fibers become embedded in the lungs when they are inhaled, causing fibrosis. When this happens, breathing is restricted, lung capacity is reduced and scar tissue is developed. The resulting condition is asbestosis, which is permanent and can eventually lead to pulmonary hypertension and cardiac failure.

Some of the symptoms of asbestosis are shortness of breath, a dry, persistent cough and rapid, hoarse breathing. The symptoms of this disease, however, may not appear until decades after the initial exposure to asbestos fibers.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma, cancer of the lung lining. Mesothelioma also occurs in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) and the pericardium (the lining around the heart). All forms of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a latent cancer. In other words, it may not appear in the body until 10 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos took place. The early symptoms of mesothelioma can resemble pneumonia. They include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, persistent cough, and chest and abdominal pain. There is often fluid buildup between the lung lining and the chest cavity, which leads to shortness of breath and pain.

There is no known cure for mesothelioma, although the disease can be treated with chemotherapy, surgery, pneumonectomy, radiation therapy, and gene therapy.

Lung Cancer Facts

This section is dedicated to highlighting a few important facts about lung cancer.

Can hazardous metal contaminants in soil cause lung cancer?

Yes. Hazardous metal contaminants in soil may cause lung cancer. There are many lung cancer causes, and depending on your line of work, you may have been exposed to hazardous metal contaminants in soil that could contribute to a higher lung cancer risk.

What are common lung cancer risk factors?

There are many causes of lung cancer. Smoking is often considered to be the #1 cause of lung cancer, but there are other risk factors as well. Some industrial occupations include exposure to materials like asbestos and coal dust, which can cause lung cancer and other lung diseases. On the job exposure is one the highest lung cancer causes in the United States.​

What causes lung cancer when you work with asbestos?

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause several diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis occurs when the asbestos fibers become embedded in the lungs after they are inhaled, causing fibrosis, which results in restricted breathing, reduced lung capacity, and the development of scar tissue. Asbestosis is permanent and can eventually lead to pulmonary hypertension and cardiac failure.

Mesothelioma is also caused by exposure to asbestos. It is a rare form of cancer that affects the cells that line the lungs. The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. In this case malignant tumors form on the pleura, which is the lining of the lung. Other forms of mesothelioma attack the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) and the pericardium (the lining around the heart).

These diseases are common among boilermakers, carpenters, electricians, insulators, laborers, machinists, millwrights, operators, painters, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, mechanics, and other industrial and commercial workers.

Can an asbestos victim file a lawsuit?

If you have been diagnosed with a form of cancer caused by asbestos, you may have a legal right to file a lawsuit and seek compensation. That determination can only be made after a careful consultation with an attorney.

Is there a special veterans asbestos fund?

Not yet. Congress is working to set up a Veterans Asbestos Fund. This fund has dangerous liabilities because it could end the right for veterans to seek legal compensation about their potential asbestos cases from a lawyer in their area.
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Brent Coon & Associates, a firm known for its commitment to victim’s rights, is proud to offer their must-see documentary, The Asbestos Story

The 28-minute film is a must-see for anyone affected by asbestos and brought to you by the attorneys at BCA, who are dedicated to helping victims and their families. The History of Asbestos documentary is designed to show how asbestos stakeholders have profited at the expense of workers and the public in countries all over the world. It also provides information about asbestos, its health effects, and how victims can receive help.

Brent Coon & Associates has obtained over a hundred verdicts and thousands of settlements in a large range of personal injury and civil matter trial matters. The firm handles many asbestos-related disease cases including: asbestos-related pleural disease, pulmonary asbestosis, gastrointestinal cancer, laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

These disease processes are common among boilermakers, carpenters, electricians, insulators, laborers, machinists, millwrights, operators, painters, pipe fitters, sheet metal workers, mechanics, and other industrial and commercial workers. Indirect exposures by other crafts as well as exposure to family members in the household from workers’ contaminated clothing are risk factors as well. (The firm recently obtained a $5,000,000.00 verdict for a group of housewives exposed to contaminated clothing from their spouses.

​”I’ve been training state employees and contractors on the dangers of asbestos and on asbestos remediation for over 15 years. I’m always looking for new materials to improve my training course and when I came across The Asbestos Story produced by Brent Coon & Associates, I knew I found something special. The documentary offers a unique perspective on the asbestos industry that I had not seen before. It is informative, well-produced, and provocative. It’s abundantly clear after viewing this video that the attorneys at BCA are highly knowledgeable on the asbestos industry.”

​- John M. Barrett, Jr., President of Scientific Investigation & Instruction Institute (Si3)