How does asbestos cause cancer?

The size, shape and high friability of asbestos particles account for the naturally-occurring mineral’s tendency to cause cancer. Friability refers to a material’s capacity to easily be reduced to smaller particles. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all designated this mineral a known human carcinogen, based on these physical properties.

The reason asbestos is considered a carcinogen is because of its dangerous combination of small size, allowing it to suspend in the air as a fine dust which can be inhaled and swallowed, and its fibrous shape which allows it to persist in the lungs and other tissues for long periods of time. Although still a matter of some contention, most specialists agree that the mechanism by which asbestos causes cancer is not chemical, but rather physical. These physical mechanisms which instigate the development of cancer may be mechanical, meaning the damaging asbestos fibers interact with the body’s cells. However, the presence of asbestos particles may create unwanted signal channels as well, allowing for this cancer’s development.