Brain Cancer as a Secondary Disease Linked to Veterans' Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral, is a known carcinogen today, and it's also common knowledge that exposure to this mineral can result in numerous terrible diseases. In the military, exposure to asbestos occurred due to the large quantity of asbestos-containing materials favored for their fire-retardant properties and heat resistance, making them ideal for insulation.

From the early 20th century until the beginning of the 1980s, the Navy extensively utilized asbestos to build, maintain, and repair ships. Consequently, naval service members have faced significant asbestos exposure risks aboard and in shipyards. However, military asbestos exposure is not restricted to vessels but can extend to personnel working in various specialties, including:

• airmen
• builders
• aviation mechanics
• painters
• electricians
• engineers

Asbestos exposure in the Navy has been a significant concern for decades, impacting the health and well-being of thousands of service members and shipyard workers. The inhaled or ingested toxic mineral fibers permanently damage various organs in the body by continuously irritating the tissues they attach to, causing chronic inflammation, irreversible scarring, and cell damage that leads to tumor formation over time - the prerequisite of asbestos cancers such as:

• pharyngeal cancer
• colorectal cancer
• mesothelioma
• laryngeal cancer
• esophageal cancer
• urogenital cancer
• bronchial cancer
• lung cancer
• gastrointestinal cancer

Former service members diagnosed with these malignancies qualify to file compensation claims and be granted payment if their medical files state such a diagnosis and they have proof of asbestos exposure.

Potential Ties to Asbestos Exposure

The causal association between asbestos exposure and noncancerous and cancerous lung diseases and mesothelial linings is well established. Furthermore, the adverse pulmonary effects of asbestos are well documented. However, the extrapulmonary impact of asbestos exposure is not as clearly defined and needs further research.

Science has been exploring connections between asbestos exposure and the development of brain tumors, and some studies even suggest an association between asbestos exposure and brain cancer risk, but there is only sparse evidence. However, the possibility of asbestos-induced malignant brain affections does exist. The cocarcinogenic potential of asbestos is a threat when the microscopic fibers are carried through the blood and reach the brain. For asbestos to cause cancer other than pulmonary, at least one of the following must occur:

• translocation of the fibers to other organs
• activation of immune activities resulting in symptoms
• metastasis of primary lung or pleural tumors to other organs

Because of their microscopic size, asbestos fibers can infiltrate the bloodstream or the lymphatic system, resulting in their inevitable embedding in tissues or organs. This is a possible route for brain cancer development, but more research is needed for a direct link. Some studies have been done on asbestos fiber movement and accumulation in tissues, but no clear conclusion exists. As with all cancers, the outcome of brain cancer often depends on the type of tumor, where it occurs, and what kinds of cells it's made of. Certain types of tumors are typically benign; some may have a 50% chance of being cancerous, while others are generally malignant:

• meningioma: is related to meningitis infections, the most common primary brain tumor
• glioma: usually arises from the glial cells that surround and support neurons
• adenoma: grows in the gland tissues and is the most common type of pituitary tumor
• schwannoma: is a slow-growing tumor in the nerve that connects the ear to the brain
• pineal tumors: located deep in the brain, appear in the pineal gland region.

Brain Cancer as a Secondary Affection to Asbestos Exposure

The capability of asbestos fibers to travel is the reason why victims of asbestos exposure often end up with non-pulmonary cancer diagnoses. Cancer that stems from asbestos exposure is frequently very aggressive, and it spreads rapidly to adjacent tissues and organs. Accordingly, if veterans exposed to asbestos develop lung cancer, they may also develop liver or brain cancer as metastases.

What scientific research has cleared so far is that primary asbestos cancers, such as lung cancer or mesothelioma, can have metastases in the brain. In this case, brain cancer becomes a secondary disease of a primary asbestos condition and qualifies veterans to claim service connection. In general, to establish service connection on a secondary basis, sufficient evidence is required to demonstrate that:

• a current disability exists (medical evidence)
• the current disability was either directly caused by a service-connected disease or was directly aggravated by it (proven nexus)

Because metastatic or secondary cancers are not subject to presumptive service connection, medical records confirming the new cancer diagnosis and treatment received are necessary. However, when a service connection is established for a secondary condition, the secondary condition becomes part of the original condition. The rating process in secondary claims is identical to claims involving multiple individually service-connected conditions, where each condition is evaluated separately and assigned a percentage rating.

We Offer Assistance for Navy Veterans Injured by Asbestos Exposure

Naval vessels built before the 1980s have more than 300 asbestos-containing products onboard, putting personnel at a high risk of inhaling or ingesting airborne asbestos particles and developing diseases linked to their exposure decades after service. Therefore, veterans of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Transport Service, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard who served between the 1930s and the late 1970s and were diagnosed with asbestos cancer can receive payment from the asbestos trust funds and the VA if they have evidence of in-service asbestos exposure.

Even if asbestos lawsuits are complex, with the help of an attorney specializing in toxic exposure, you can successfully navigate the VA claims and appeals process. Furthermore, having an experienced counsel by your side helps in collecting evidence. If your disease prevents you from actively participating, your legal aid can submit documentation on your behalf. We can assist you in contacting asbestos lawyers who will work to hold responsible parties accountable.