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Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye ?by: Jeff Lakie If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder “Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye”? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos. If you skin becomes contaminated with asbestos it will not burn or itch. Asbestos related diseases have a very long latency period. This is the time frame from when you are first exposed to asbestos until you become ill. Most persons do not become ill for at least ten years after exposure and some not until over forty years later. Asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma are all asbestos related diseases. Asbestosis occurs when asbestos fibers enter the lungs. The body will naturally produce an acid to combat the fibers. However, this acid can cause scarring in the tissue of the lungs and in advanced stages breathing becomes more difficult and painful. Asbestosis was first documented in shipyard workers. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer. If a person smokes and is exposed to asbestos, they have a much greater chance of developing lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that has only been linked to asbestos exposure. It is a cancer of the cells that line the peritoneum (area surrounding the abdominal organs) and the pleura (area outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs). There is a lot of debate and controversy surrounding which types of asbestos is harmful. Some types of asbestos are thought to be more dangerous than others but all types of asbestos exposure should be avoided. Actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, chrysotile (white asbestos), and tremolite are all types of asbestos. Chrysotile is the type of asbestos most commonly used in manufacturing products. Asbestos fibers are not visible to the eye. If you feel you may have been exposed to asbestos, the most common method for testing is a chest x-ray. The x-ray will not show the asbestos fibers but it can spot early signs of lung disease. There is no known cure for asbestos related diseases. Latest Cancer News:Taking Aim at Brain Cancer (Forbes) Smarter matching of drugs to patients is likely to improve on the lukewarm results seen so far with targeted cancer therapies. Hot dogs cast as villain in cancer group's ad (USA Today) A new TV commercial shows kids eating hot dogs in a school cafeteria and one little boy's haunting lament: "I was dumbfounded when the doctor told me I have late-stage colon cancer." Stress may raise breast cancer risk in young women (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Young women who experience more than one stressful life event are at greater risk of developing breast cancer, but a general feeling of happiness and optimism may help guard against the disease, Israeli researchers report. Normal Cells May Predict Cancer Virulence (HealthDay via Yahoo! News) THURSDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Characteristics of normal cells which are present long before any tumor appears may determine how virulent a particular cancer is going to be, new research suggests. Cervical cancer advances give hope to poor (Reuters via Yahoo! News) New screening tests and effective vaccines from Merck & Co and GlaxoSmithKline make tackling cervical cancer in poor countries a real possibility for the first time, researchers said on Thursday. Correction: Hot Dogs-Cancer story (AP via Yahoo! News) In an Aug. 26 story about a new TV ad linking hot dogs with cancer, The Associated Press, relying on figures provided by a nutrition adviser to the American Institute for Cancer Research, erroneously reported average risks for colon cancer and how eating hot dogs affects those risks. Karen Collins said she misstated the average adult's lifetime risk for getting colorectal cancer, which is about ... Cancer spread 'happens earlier' (BBC News) Apparently "normal" cells may carry cancer to new sites long before a tumour develops, scientists say. Cervical Cancer Rate May Fall in Poor Nations With Tests, Shots (Bloomberg.com) Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) -- New screening methods and immunization shots are making it possible to control the number of cervical cancer cases in developing countries for the first time, researchers said in a Vaccine medical journal report. E! Standing Up To Cancer Too (Broadcasting and Cable) Entertainment network joins ABC, CBS and NBC in broadcasting 'Stand Up To Cancer' special. Mun2, E! Step Up to ?Stand Up to Cancer? (TV Week) Mun2 and E! Entertainment Television are joining other networks in airing the charity special ?Stand Up to Cancer? on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. ? Stand Up to Cancer ,? put together by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, will air live simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC and will feature appearances by several celebrities and performers in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. Correction: Hot Dogs-Cancer story - The Associated Press
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