Asbestosis

What Is Asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a serious lung disease caused by asbestos exposure that results in lung scarring. Common locations of asbestos exposure include construction sites, ships and industrial areas. People working at these locations are at high risk of developing asbestosis.

Asbestosis is one of many interstitial lung diseases that cause inflammation. Inhaled asbestos fibers can cause scar tissue, known as pulmonary fibrosis, to form within the lungs.

Quick Facts About Asbestosis

• Incurable lung disease that makes breathing progressively more difficult
• Usually develops after years of occupational asbestos exposure
• A contributing cause of death for approximately 600 to more than 1,000 Americans each year
• Signifies an elevated risk of developing asbestos-related cancer

There is no cure for asbestosis. Treatment can alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression.Asbestosis is not cancer. However, it signals a risk for cancer because of past asbestos exposure. These cancers include lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. After being diagnosed with asbestosis, the chance of developing lung cancer is higher than that of mesothelioma.

Asbestosis Symptoms

The first symptoms of asbestosis include a dry cough, difficulty breathing and crackling sounds when breathing. These sounds are the result of scarring that stiffens the lungs.

Common Asbestosis Symptoms

• Chest tightness and pain
• Clubbing of fingers and toes
• Crackling sounds when breathing
• Fatigue
• Loss of weight and appetite
• Persistent dry cough
• Shortness of breath

The stiffened lungs also lower blood oxygen, causing shortness of breath. Long-term breathing issues and low oxygen result in fatigue and weight loss.

Advanced Asbestosis Symptoms

Advanced symptoms of asbestosis include pulmonary hypertension. Scar tissue can tighten arteries and lead to pulmonary hypertension. This makes blood pressure rise because the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs.

When the lungs deliver insufficient oxygen to the blood, a symptom called “clubbing” may arise. Clubbing causes the tips of the toes and fingers to be broader and rounder than usual. This symptom may occur early in disease progression for some patients.

Asbestosis takes less time to develop than asbestos-related cancer. An asbestosis diagnosis signals a risk of developing lung cancer or mesothelioma in the future.

Asbestosis Causes

The only cause of asbestosis is asbestos exposure. Different types of dust can cause other types of pneumoconiosis. For example, silicosis is a form of pneumoconiosis from exposure to silica dust. 

Inhaling asbestos fibers causes them to accumulate in the lungs. This leads to inflammation and fibrous changes in lung tissue over time. Scarring develops and tissue movement becomes limited. The interstitium, alveoli and nearby tissue become inflamed and fibrotic.

An asbestos-related illness usually develops after years of regular exposure. The latency period from exposure to symptoms and diagnosis can be decades. Asbestosis has a shorter latency period of 20 to 30 years compared to asbestos-related cancers, which average 20 to 50 years. 

Asbestosis Risk Factors

People who experience occupational asbestos exposure are at higher risk of asbestosis. Asbestosis tends to develop in people exposed to large amounts of asbestos over long periods.

Asbestosis Risk Factors 

• Amount and concentration of asbestos
• Size, shape and type of asbestos fibers
• Length of time of the exposure to asbestos
• Health factors such as smoking or a history of lung disease
• Genetic factors or specific mutations in DNA that increase risk of disease

Some workers are at higher risk for heavy exposure. This includes construction workers, insulators, miners and millers. A 2021 study in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine also noted other high-risk workers. Pipefitters, boiler workers and shipyard workers are among them. Textile mill workers, industrial workers and mechanics are also at risk.

Diagnosing Asbestosis

To diagnose asbestosis, doctors check medical and work records and conduct tests. They use imaging scans and lung function tests along with these histories.

Patients often see a doctor for breathing problems. First, they get lung tests, then an X-ray or CT scan. Radiologists usually identify asbestosis from these scans. Doctors confirm the diagnosis when scan results and asbestos exposure history match.

Prognosis for Asbestosis

The median survival for asbestosis patients is about 10 years. Life expectancy varies with disease progression. Stage 1 patients live the longest, around 14 years. In contrast, stage 3 patients average just 1.75 years.

The outlook for asbestosis patients varies. It depends on how fast the disease progresses and the level of asbestos exposure. Those with high exposure tend to get severe disease that worsens quickly. Those with lower exposure often have mild cases that either progress slowly or remain stable.

Only a lung transplant for asbestosis can stop the disease. There is no other cure or way to reverse the scarring caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestosis is the most frequently reported cause of pneumoconiosis deaths. It accounts for about 60% of pneumoconiosis deaths recorded from 1999 to 2018.

Can You Live With Asbestosis?

Yes, you can live with asbestosis for years, but there is no cure for this progressive condition. Patients live an average of 10 years with asbestosis.

Lung transplants are the best long-term option for patients with asbestosis. However, it’s only for a few patients. Others can manage symptoms and slow the disease with different treatments.

Asbestosis Treatment Options

Asbestosis can’t be cured. Only lung transplants fully treat asbestosis. Other treatments just relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Asbestosis treatments include:

• Supplemental oxygen
• Medications
• Pulmonary rehab

Supplemental oxygen from a portable oxygen tank is often necessary for patients with reduced lung capacity. Medications can thin lung secretions to make coughing easier and relieve chest pain. 

Pulmonary rehabilitation aids patients with chronic breathing issues. A team of therapists may tackle both physical and mental health. Exercise therapy boosts fitness, lung function and quality of life.

Top Pulmonologists Treating Asbestosis

As the condition gets worse, patients need more treatment as they age. It’s important to see an asbestosis expert to manage the disease and symptoms.

Lung transplants are best for severe asbestosis or when the patient also has other lung diseases. This surgery is invasive and a last resort.

Some people feel better with therapies like acupuncture, massage and nutrition treatments. Changing your lifestyle can also help manage asbestosis. For example, quitting smoking can slow down the disease. Eating healthy foods, staying active, and getting enough sleep can help your body deal with the effects of asbestosis such as low oxygen levels.

Common Questions About Asbestosis

How long can you live with asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a chronic disease, unlike mesothelioma. Patients often live for decades. However, it can be deadly, and many struggle with severe breathing issues.

What is the difference between asbestosis and mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is cancer that affects the tissue around the lungs, chest and abdomen. Asbestosis, however, is a chronic lung disease and not cancer. It’s a type of pulmonary fibrosis. Asbestosis and mesothelioma have the same cause as other asbestos-related diseases.

Can asbestosis be cured?

There is no cure for asbestosis. Treatment options aim to reduce symptoms and help breathing.

What questions should you ask your doctor?

• How advanced is my condition?
• What is the best treatment for asbestosis?
• What medications do you recommend, and what are the side effects?
• How much experience do you have managing asbestosis?
• Will I need a lung transplant?
• Am I at risk of developing mesothelioma or lung cancer?
• Is anyone in my family at risk?

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