Mesothelioma and lung cancer are the best-known asbestos cancers, but they are not the only ones. Two more cancers are recognized as caused by asbestos: cancer of the larynx (the voice box) and cancer of the ovary. The National Cancer Institute’s asbestos fact sheet reports that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found sufficient evidence that asbestos causes both.
This page is informational only, not medical advice. Diagnosis and treatment belong with your care team.
Does Asbestos Cause Laryngeal and Ovarian Cancer? What IARC Found
IARC, the cancer research agency of the World Health Organization, reviewed the evidence on asbestos in its monograph on arsenic, metals, fibers, and dusts (IARC Monographs Vol. 100C). Its working group concluded that all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) and that asbestos causes mesothelioma and cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovary. The NCI fact sheet reports the same list.
That is the ceiling of what this page will claim. IARC also found limited evidence linking asbestos to some other cancers, including cancers of the pharynx, stomach, and colorectum. Limited evidence does not establish a cause, and we will not present it as more than it is.
Asbestos and Laryngeal Cancer (Voice Box Cancer)
The larynx sits directly in the path of inhaled air, so fibers pass through it on the way to the lungs. Both the IARC and the NCI identify laryngeal cancer as caused by asbestos exposure.
Laryngeal cancer also has other well-known causes. Tobacco and alcohol use are the major risk factors, according to the American Cancer Society. A claim, therefore, has to show the asbestos contribution through evidence, not assumption. A documented history of significant occupational asbestos exposure is the starting point.
Asbestos and Ovarian Cancer: Risks for Women and Families
IARC concluded that asbestos causes cancer of the ovary, and the NCI fact sheet reports that finding as well. This matters for a group of people who are often overlooked: women exposed to asbestos, whether on the job or at home.
Secondhand exposure is a real pathway. The NCI fact sheet explains that asbestos fibers can travel home on a worker’s clothing, shoes, skin, and hair, exposing the people they live with. That household fact pattern sits behind many claims involving women. Our asbestos exposure guide covers household and secondary exposure in more detail.
Ovarian Cancer or Peritoneal Mesothelioma? Why a Second Pathology Review Matters
Ovarian cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma can look alike under the microscope, and the medical literature documents misdiagnosis in both directions. If ovarian cancer was diagnosed in someone with an asbestos history, it is worth asking whether the pathology was reviewed with mesothelioma in mind. Our peritoneal mesothelioma page explains that disease.
Occupational and Household Asbestos Exposure in Pennsylvania
The exposure histories behind these cancers are usually ordinary ones. The NCI recognizes heavy exposure in shipbuilding, insulation and construction work, asbestos product manufacturing, and many other trades. Pennsylvania’s industrial economy, including its shipyards, steel mills, refineries, rail shops, and power plants, relied heavily on asbestos insulation and equipment for decades. At home, exposure often came through the laundry, as a spouse or child shook out and washed dusty work clothes week after week.
The timeline is long in every case. Asbestos-related cancers typically take decades to develop, so a diagnosis today often points back to a workplace or household from many years earlier. Old exposure is not weak evidence. It is the normal evidence in these cases, rebuilt from employment records, union records, product records, and witness testimony rather than memory alone.
Can You File an Asbestos Cancer Claim for Laryngeal or Ovarian Cancer in Pennsylvania?
Often, yes. The analysis mirrors the one for asbestos lung cancer: a qualifying diagnosis, a documented exposure history, and a medical opinion linking the asbestos exposure to the cancer.
These cases are harder than mesothelioma cases for two reasons. First, these cancers have other common causes. Second, asbestos bankruptcy trust funds, which have held billions of dollars for asbestos victims according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO-11-819), each set their own criteria by disease and do not treat these cancers the same way.
Next Steps After a Laryngeal or Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
If laryngeal or ovarian cancer has been diagnosed in someone who worked around asbestos, or who lived with someone who did, the exposure history deserves a serious look. Pennsylvania sets strict filing deadlines for asbestos claims, and waiting can cost a family its right to recover. If the person has passed away, families may still be able to bring wrongful death and survival actions (42 Pa. C.S. §§ 8301-8302). The full picture of asbestos diseases, malignant and non-malignant, is on our asbestos diseases hub.
Request a free case review and get an honest read on whether the evidence supports a claim for your family.