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While there is no evidence that asbestos exposure can directly trigger seizures, cancers that can develop after asbestos exposure do often present seizures.

Many toxic substances are known to trigger seizures or cause the development of epilepsy after repeated exposures. One review of seizure-causing toxins notes how, “chemical weapons such as sarin and VX, and pesticides such as parathion and carbaryl,” can trigger nervous system reactions that result in seizures.[1]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also notes a case where a child began experiencing epileptic seizures after being exposed to the chemical cyclothriethylenetriamine (RDX) via their parent’s contaminated work clothes.[2]

Based on a review of available literature, asbestos fibers do not seem capable of triggering a seizure or series of seizures just from direct exposure.

However, asbestos fibers are known to cause several types of cancer that develop for years before exposure victims present any symptoms.[3] The most common cancers from asbestos exposure include lung cancer and mesothelioma.[4]

If these cancers progress far enough, they may begin to spread or “metastasize.” Metastasization can cause further complications as cancer cells spread to the brain and components of the central nervous system.

In a pamphlet on late-stage care for lung patients provided by the University of California, San Francisco, the literature notes that “seizures in patients with metastatic lung cancer are intermediate in prevalence.”[5]

Patients with untreatable late-stage cancer reaching the end of their life are particularly likely to experience seizures. According to one case study, seizures are seen during palliative (end-of-life) care in about 13% of patients.[6] Of these, around a quarter to a half will have brain metastases.

A cohort review of cancer patients suffering from seizures also found that, “several drugs used in the treatment of cancer, or complications arising from their use, can trigger seizures through varied mechanisms.”[7]

People with late-stage lung cancers may also notice other nervous system changes, including dizziness, trouble balancing, headaches, and weakness or numbness in their limbs.[8] Cancer can even cause a secondary condition called “paraneoplastic syndrome” where immune antibodies attack healthy cells, potentially causing seizures.[9]

All of these possibilities illustrate how seizures can be a symptom of progressive cancer after exposure to asbestos rather than a direct reaction to any acute exposures.

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23085523

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-125/default.html

[3] https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet

[4] https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/asbestos/health_effects_asbestos.html

[5] https://www.ucsfhealth.org/pdf/brain_tumor_patients_for_healthcare_providers.pdf

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3771721/

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077803/

[8] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/small-cell-lung-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html

[9] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-25294-y