Published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, the study noted that asbestos exposure often has profound effects on other areas of patients' bodies, too. The problem, as the authors saw it, is that non-pulmonary asbestos-related diseases are not as well catalogued as those that affect the lungs.
In response, researchers listed a few general categories of illness that have been firmly (or at least provisionally) tied to asbestos exposure. These included autoimmune disorders, stomach cancer and ovarian tumors.
Likewise, the group said that studies hint at links between airborne asbestos exposure and brain tumors, blood disorders and peritoneal fibroids.
Overall, it is clear that exposure to this dangerous mineral is extraordinarily hazardous, even in small doses. The National Cancer Institute warns that any airborne asbestos exposure can lead to serious health problems.
