Asbestosis

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Asbestosis

Worried About Asbestosis?

DID YOU KNOW THAT ASBESTOSIS IS

NOT THE SAME AS

MESOTHELIOMA?

Asbestosis is a non-cancerous condition causing scarring of lung tissue (around terminal bronchioles and alveolar ducts) resulting from the inhalation of asbestos fibers. It is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs.

Asbestosis is a chronic progressive disease, meaning that once these symptoms start, they generally do not get better. Asbestosis is a chronic progressive disease that requires high exposures to asbestos over prolonged periods of time and is characterised pathologically by interstitial fibrosis and asbestos bodies. Asbestosis is most common in men over 40 who have worked in asbestos-related occupations. Asbestosis is not caused by smoking effects.

Mesothelioma

The danger of asbestosis is that it can lead to more life-threatening asbestos-related diseases such as bronchogenic carcinoma (lung cancer), and mesothelioma, a cancer of the membrane lining the outside of the lungs. Mesothelioma is a malignant form of cancer affecting the mesothelial linings in the body. Mesothelioma cancer is an uncommon, but no longer rare, form of cancer in which cells of the mesothelium (located in the chest) become abnormal and divide without control or order. Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that is almost 100% preventable because the only known cause is via exposure to the deadly mineral asbestos.

While mesothelioma and asbestosis were often thought to be interchangeable terms defining the same cancer, it is important to note that the two ailments are very different. In fact, mesothelioma is a complication that can arise in patients with asbestosis. The patient must remember that asbestosis is not considered mesothelioma. However, virtually all cases of mesothelioma are linked with asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is invariably fatal; most people with mesotheliomas die within 1 to 4 years of diagnosis. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs (pleura), or around the abdominal organs (peritoneum). Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years after the first exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is the most insidious of the asbestos-related diseases in that it can affect people who have experienced low or intermittent levels of asbestos exposure.

For many years asbestos manufacturers have claimed that cigarette smoking caused mesothelioma, however medical research has clearly proven that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. There are currently about 3000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed per year, mostly in men over the age of 40.

Symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma are: shortness of breath, pain in the lower back or side of the chest, coughing, and weight loss. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura. Symptoms of asbestosis appear gradually only after large areas of the lung become scarred. Symptoms get worse as the disease progresses and may include: Shortness of breath; this is the first noticeable symptom and occurs with exercise or heavy effort. Cough: the cough is persistent and productive (which means mucus is loosened)Other symptoms may include: Chest pain or tightness, Feeling generally unwell, Loss of appetite. Finger clubbing, in some cases, caused by a build-up of fluid

The diagnosis is made based on: Reliable history of exposure to asbestos Evidence of lung scarring and fibrosis which is based on a physical exam and/or additional tests, Absence of other causes that may produce similar clinical pictures Tests used in diagnosis of asbestosis: Chest X-ray, changes seen on the exam usually have a distinctive pattern, CT Scan, a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body.

Asbestosis symptoms can appear quite awhile after the exposure. In many cases symptoms do not appear until 10 years later, and it is not rare to find the symptoms appearing 20 years after the exposure.

Treatment

Sadly, there is no treatment to cure asbestosis, and the disease slowly worsens. Treatment is aimed at preventing progression and relieving symptoms. Respiratory treatments can be used to remove build-ups in the lungs. Humidifiers may help relieve the dry coughing and doctors may recommend additional respiratory treatments to ease breathing difficulties. The goal of treatment is to help patients breathe more easily, prevent colds and other respiratory infections, and control complications associated with advanced disease. The main treatment used in asbestosis is oxygen therapy, to try to increase the flow of oxygen into the body and counteract the effects of breathlessness.

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What Are The Problems?

Asbestos is rarely used alone, and it is generally safe when combined with other materials with strong bonding agents. As long as the material remains bonded so that fibers are not released, it poses no health risk. But occasionally asbestos fibers become loose and airborne, most often when contained in soft, easily crumbled materials.

Even in such well-bonded materials as floor tiles and painted surfaces, asbestos can become loose and airborne when these materials are cut, scraped, filed, sanded, or removed. Remodeling or demolition often cause the release of asbestos fibers.

To discover whether you have an asbestos problem, you must first determine whether the material in question is releasing asbestos fibers. The best way to have this done is to have a state health agency or a reliable testing company take a sample for you and have it analyzed.

What Are The Solutions?

You may have asbestos-containing substances in your home or office, especially those built before 1978. If the material is in good condition, LEAVE IT ALONE! To be certain, however, you may want to have the materials inspected, and, if necessary, repaired or removed.

Repair usually involves either sealing or covering asbestos material. Sealing (or encapsulation) involves coating materials so that asbestos is sealed in. This process is only effective for undamaged asbestos-containing substances.

If materials are soft or crumbly or otherwise damaged, sealing is not appropriate. Covering involves placing something over or around the material that contains asbestos to prevent release of fibers.

Asbestos removal is an expensive and hazardous process and should be a last resort. Situations where removal may be required including remodeling, major structural changes, and if the asbestos material is damaged and can not be otherwise repaired.

Removal is complex, and should be done only by a contractor with special training. Improper removal may increase the health risks to those exposed.