Men who have been exposed to asbestos as part of their employment are at higher risk for colorectal cancer according to a study in the November 1, 2005 issue of tbe [*American Journal of Epidemiolog*y](http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/gca?gca=162%2F9%2F868&sendit=Get+All+Checked+Abstract%28s%29). Furthermore, those who had changes in their lungs caused by asbestos had an even higher risk, one that increased with the worsening asbestosis.
Heavy smokers who had also been exposed to asbestos were 36% more likely than similar male smokers who had no occupational exposure. Those with changes in their lungs caused by asbestos had a 54% increased risk.
Reseachers found 3,900 men who had worked with asbestos in their jobs among participants in the *Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET)* which was looking at the role of supplements to prevent lung cancer.
Read more about the study on [*Reuters Health*](http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2005-11-10T162423Z_01_HAR059014_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-ASBESTOS-RISK-DC.XML)
Dr. Mark R. Cullen from Yale University School of Medicine, a study author, told *Reuters Health*.that colorectal screening for men with a history of asbestos exposure “should be aggressively pursued in view of their higher risk.”
August 27, 2007 at 1:57 am, william morgan said:
I worked at an old hospital that the company I worked for was renovating. This was 1998- 2000, two years. The building was built in the 1930′s. This old hospital was full of asbesto’s and the owner of the company told all of his employees that he had the asbesto’s tested and it was asbestos free.after awhile epa came in and determined that it was asbestos after most of the asbesto’s material was removed by unprotected emplyees. There also was no running water at the site so workers were taking this asbesto’s home on their clothes. In 2003 my wife was diagnoced with colorectal, lung and liver cancer. After a long heatbreaking battle my wife died from colorectal carcinoma in may of 2007. Can it be possible that my wife got the cacer from the asbestos on my clothes? This worries me. please reply. Thank you
August 27, 2007 at 9:13 am, Kate Murphy said:
The study noted above did find an increased risk of colorectal cancer in men who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Whether or not asbestos remaining on your clothing could have contributed to your wife’s colorectal cancer is not something we at C3 could know. We are sorry to hear of her death.
July 20, 2009 at 10:42 am, Paul E Corbett said:
I was exposed to asbestos when I served on several navy ships from 1963 to 1975 Could this exposure be linked to colon cancer that I had in 2007.
July 21, 2009 at 6:47 am, Kate Murphy said:
It is possible that your colon cancer was related to the asbestos you were exposed to in the Navy.
This is probably an issue to discuss with the Veterans Administration.