Asbestos linked to larynx cancer

By Brian Cole

Published on June 08, 2006

Asbestos is associated with lung cancer and mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the lining of the chest and abdomen. The fibrous mineral was commonly used in home installation, tiles and other products until the 1970’s when its dangers to public health were discovered.

The Senate asked the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, to study the possibility that other forms of cancer are caused by asbestos. The panel found 9 studies with evidence of a link between laryngeal cancer and asbestos. The larynx is the portion of the throat containing the vocal cords. The studies noted that the disruption of air flow caused by the vocal cords could explain the deposit of asbestos fibers there.

The studies also found evidence that suggests asbestos may be connected to colorectal and stomach cancer, as well as cancer of the upper throat.

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