Cigarette Smoke May Accelerate Silicosis Risks: Study

New study finds that when combined with silica dust, cigarette smoke can cause cells to activate that lead to lung fibrosis at a much faster rate.

Amid growing concerns that exposure to silica dust while cutting or finishing artificial stone countertops may cause workers to develop an incurable respiratory condition, known as silicosis, new research indicates that smoking may exacerbate the problem.

Silicosis is a chronic lung disease caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica dust. The tiny particles of silica, a mineral found in rocks, sand and soil, become embedded in the lungs and cause inflammation and scarring.

In recent years, silicosis among stone countertop workers has been increasingly linked to their work with quartz, also known as “artificial” or “engineered” stone, due to manufacturers’ and employers’ lack of safety provisions and warnings about the dangers of inhaling dust from these products.

However, researchers from Saudi Arabia published a study in the science journal PLoS One late last month, warning that exposure to cigarette smoke, on top of silica exposure, increases the risk of fibrosis, and has the same synergistic effects as it does on respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The research team suspected that cigarette smoke exposure would have similar impacts on silicosis as it had with other lung problems, so they took primary lung fibroblasts from three healthy controls and three asthma patients and exposed them to cigarette smoke and silica dust in amounts similar to those the cells would receive if the substances were inhaled.

One of the primary effects of a combination of silica and cigarette smoke exposure was the activation of fibroblasts, which are cells that help structure and repair the connective tissues in the body. They create and secrete extracellular matrix (ECM) components like collagen and elastin.

Excessive fibroblast activation can lead to fibrosis, which is a thickening and scarring of lung tissue, or other tissues, that can cause the organ to stop functioning. This can lead to the need for lung transplant or death.

Researchers found that when cigarette smoke was added to silica exposure, it caused fibroblasts to activate at up to five times the rate of silica exposure alone in healthy cells. It still caused a significant increase in the fibroblast upregulation in asthmatic cells, but not at as high a rate.

“These insights emphasize the need for stricter occupational regulations and smoking cessation programs, especially in dust-exposed environments.”

– King Saud University Medical City researchers

The research team determined that cigarette smoke exposure led to a pronounced profibrotic response in chronic inflammatory diseases, like silicosis and COPD.

Silicosis Lawsuits

The findings come as an increasing number of silicosis lawsuits are being brought by stone cutters who spent years regularly exposed to silica dust, many of which have been filed in California state courts, as that state is the epicenter of the quartz countertop industry.

The claims allege manufacturers and employers knew about these risks to workers but failed to take sufficient measures to educate or protect employees, violating occupational safety regulations.

As a result, attorneys nationwide are offering free consultations to individuals who were exposed to silica dust on the job and have since been diagnosed with silicosis.