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Page Updated: June 23, 2022

Conditions Related to Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma

Anne Courtney Page Medically Reviewed and Edited by Anne Courtney, AOCNP, DNP

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Fact Checked

This page has been fact-checked by a Doctor of nursing practice specializing in Oncology and has experience working with mesothelioma patients.

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Sources of information are listed at the bottom of the article. We make every attempt to keep our information accurate and up-to-date. 

Please Contact Us with any questions or comments.

Conditions related to asbestos exposure and mesothelioma include pleural plaques, pleural effusion, pleural thickening, COPD, interstitial lung disease, and other types of cancer.[1] If you were exposed to asbestos, symptoms of these conditions might not occur until decades later.

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How Asbestos Causes Illness

Asbestos is a natural mineral long prized for its availability, low cost, and lightweight strength. Because asbestos has the ability to resist heat, fire, chemical corrosion, and electricity, it has been useful in construction and shipbuilding.

While workers in these industries faced the highest risk of exposure, other people – from firefighters to school teachers – may also have been exposed.[2]

The danger lies in the tiny fibers of asbestos. These fibers can easily come loose and become airborne. Once airborne, these sharp, needle-like fibers can be inhaled or accidentally ingested. The fibers can easily become lodged in tissue, where they trigger damaging inflammatory and immune responses.[1]

Pleural Plaques

One common result of damage caused by asbestos is the formation of pleural plaques. Pleural plaques are areas of thickening in the pleura.

While these plaques do not usually present symptoms, they may minimally decrease lung function. Pleural plaques are not progressive and do not worsen over time.

Most people discover they have plaques after screening for some unrelated condition. While plaques themselves are not considered a risk factor for mesothelioma, they can indicate a person was exposed to asbestos.[3]

Diffuse Pleural Thickening

Diffuse pleural thickening (also known as simply “pleural thickening”) is a common result of asbestos exposure. Similar to plaques, pleural thickening develops from lodged asbestos fibers that cause tissue damage.

Pleural thickening, however, is more serious and extensive. It is characterized by scar tissue that forms throughout the pleura, causing the tissue to thicken.[4]

Pleural thickening is progressive and irreversible; however, treatments can slow progression and help manage symptoms. Symptoms commonly caused by pleural thickening include:[4]

  • Chest pain
  • Breathlessness
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Restrictive lung disease

Pleural Effusion

Pleural effusion occurs when fluid builds between the two layers of the pleura. It can cause shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, hiccups, fever, and fatigue.

Pleural effusion can be caused by pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and congestive heart failure; however, it is also commonly associated with asbestos-related conditions, including mesothelioma and asbestosis.[5]

Treatment of pleural effusion involves draining the fluid. Draining the fluid relieves symptoms, although the effusion is likely to return if the underlying cause cannot be cured or controlled. A thoracentesis can provide short-term relief of a pleural effusion. More long-term strategies include pleurodesis to permanently close the pleural space.[6]

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is usually a combination of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking is the number one cause of COPD; however, people exposed to other toxins, like asbestos, may also be at risk.[7]

COPD is characterized by a mucus-producing cough, chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, weight loss, and edema.

Symptoms result from restricted airways, which a number of issues can cause. Treatment for COPD manages symptoms and seeks to prevent the disease’s progression. There is no known cure for COPD.[8]

Interstitial Lung Disease – Asbestosis

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is inflammation in the lungs that leads to scarring. The interstitium is the tissue lining and supporting the tiny sacs of the lungs called the alveoli.

When this tissue becomes inflamed and scarred, it causes shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, coughing, fever, weight loss, and clubbed fingers.[9] There are many potential causes of ILD; however, asbestos exposure may be a risk factor.

When ILD is caused by asbestos, it is called asbestosis. Other types of ILD can be worsened by exposure to asbestos. The disease is progressive. Even when asbestos exposure is eliminated, scarring will continue to worsen. Treatment for asbestosis manages symptoms and slows the disease. There is no known cure.[10]

Other Types of Cancer

Mesothelioma is cancer most often associated with asbestos; however, this mineral can cause other types of cancer. Lung cancer is the most common, but asbestos may also cause ovarian, laryngeal, esophageal, throat, and gallbladder cancers. It is not fully understood how asbestos fibers reach these organs and tissues. Treatment of these cancers varies depending on the individual and cancer stage.[11]

Asbestos has been implicated in many conditions, most related to the lungs and airways. If you believe you may have been exposed to asbestos, talk to your doctor about screening tests for these illnesses. Even if you have no symptoms, it is important to consider how asbestos may be impacting your health.

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Page Medically Reviewed and Edited by Anne Courtney, AOCNP, DNP

Anne Courtney

Anne Courtney has a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and is an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner. She has years of oncology experience working with patients with malignant mesothelioma, as well as other types of cancer. Dr. Courtney currently works at University of Texas LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes.

Connect with Doctor of Nursing Practice Anne Courtney
References
  1. National Cancer Institute. (2017, June 7). Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk.
    Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet#what-are-the-health-hazards-of-exposure-to-asbestos
  2. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry. (2014, January 29). Asbestos Toxicity. Who is at Risk of Exposure to Asbestos?
    Retrieved from: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/asbestos/who_is_at_risk.html
  3. British Lung Foundation. (n.d.). Pleural Plaques.
    Retrieved from: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/asbestos-related-conditions/pleural-plaques
  4. National Asbestos Helpline. (2020, March 17). What is Diffuse Pleural Thickening?
    Retrieved from: https://www.nationalasbestos.co.uk/news/what-is-diffuse-pleural-thickening/
  5. Cleveland Clinic. (2018, December 18). Pleural Effusion Causes, Signs and Treatment.
    Retrieved from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17373-pleural-effusion-causes-signs–treatment
  6. Cleveland Clinic. (2018, December 18). Pleural Effusion Causes, Signs & Treatment: Management and Treatment.
    Retrieved from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17373-pleural-effusion-causes-signs–treatment/management-and-treatment
  7. Dement, J.M., Welch, L., Ringen, K., Bingham, E., and Quinn, P. (2010, March). Airways Obstruction Among Older Construction and Trade Workers at Department of Energy Nuclear Sites. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53(3), 224-40.
    Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20025074/
  8. National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). COPD.
    Retrieved from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd
  9. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Interstitial Lung Disease: Pulmonary Fibrosis.
    Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/interstitial-lung-disease-pulmonary-fibrosis
  10. Mayo Clinic. (2019, December 27). Asbestosis. Diagnosis and Treatment.
    Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asbestosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354643
  11. American Cancer Society. (2015, September 15). Asbestos and Cancer Risk.
    Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/asbestos.html
View All References

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