Asbestos is particularly lethal to the lungs.
Asbestos is a carcinogenic material that has been linked to the onset of numerous pleural pulmonary ailments. The pleura refers to a membrane that envelops and encases the lungs, and the pleura can be damaged by small particles of asbestos that have been accidentally inhaled. Sadly, asbestos-related diseases are often fatal, although a small portion of asbestos-linked medical conditions are benign.
Pleural Plaques
Two types of scarring can occur on the pleura due to asbestos exposure. These are pleural plaques and pleural thickening. Nearly all people who develop pleural plaques were exposed to asbestos at one point in their lifetime, usually about 20 to 40 years after the plaques develop. Pleural plaques are clusters of white tissue that develop on the pleura, which often calcify. Generally speaking, both conditions are considered benign. However, the onset of these conditions may be an early warning sign of other more serious conditions like mesothelioma.
Pleural Thickening
Pleural thickening occurs when scar tissue develops around asbestos fibers trapped in the lungs, and often manifests 15 years or more after exposure to asbestos. Pleural thickening is not exclusively caused by asbestos exposure, and may also result from other materials like silica or other irritants. Pleural thickening can cause shortness of breath, and may occur concurrently with mesothelioma.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the lungs, and can cause chest pain and extreme shortness of breath. In some cases, asbestosis may prove fatal. The disease can be treated with certain inhalant drugs, as well as by draining fluid buildup from the lungs or chest cavity. A person who believes that they were exposed to asbestos should have routine checkups in order to have their doctor monitor their lungs for any changes that may signal the onset of asbestosis or other asbestos-related ailments.
Lung Cancer
Asbestos inhalation can lead to the development of lung cancer. Often originating in the trachea, bronchioles, or alveoli before spreading to the pleura, asbestos-linked lung cancer often goes undiagnosed until the later stages of the disease. Asbestos exposure can lead to both small cell lung cancer (the more rare type of lung cancer) and non-small cell lung cancer. Smoking increases the risk of developing lung cancer.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects under 3,000 new patients in America each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The cancer may develop several decades after a person has been exposed to asbestos; however, once symptoms have emerged, the cancer may kill a patient within weeks . The average mesothelioma patient is not expected to live for more than 24 months after being diagnosed. Other forms of mesothelioma affect the pericardium (membrane surrounding the heart) and the tissues and membranes of the abdominal cavity.
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