Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Asbestos Related Diseases, Sickness, Illness


Asbestosis - This is scarring of the lungs: the airways become so inflamed and scarred that oxygen is no longer able to pass from the lungs into the blood. The lungs become stiff and inelastic, making breathing progressively difficult.

Mesothelioma - Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos-related lung cancer - Asbestos related lung cancer occurs in several forms including bronchial carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.  Not every asbestos-related lung cancer is a mesothelioma, which are tumors specifically of the lining surrounding the lungs, heart, or abdomen.

Pleural disease - Pleural plaque/thickening involves scarring of the lining of the lung indicating that an individual has had lung damage sufficient to be at risk for more serious complications.