Asbestos-Related Diseases
Exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis 10-50 years later. Many of these asbestos-related diseases are aggressive and life-threatening, but treatments can help patients live longer. View our full list of asbestos-related diseases and get help affording care.
What Are the 4 Major Asbestos-Related Diseases?
If you or someone you love was exposed to asbestos, you could go on to develop serious illnesses later in life, including different types of cancer.
While asbestos was once considered a safe material, today it’s better known as a carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance. It can also cause long-term but serious noncancerous illnesses.
The 4 most notable diseases caused by asbestos exposure include:
- Lung cancer: Forms when asbestos fibers harm lung tissue
- Mesothelioma: Develops in the lining of the lungs, heart, abdomen, or testicles decades after asbestos exposure
- Asbestosis: Scarring of the lung tissue that leads to difficulty breathing and lung cancer
- Ovarian cancer: Occurs when asbestos fibers reach a woman’s reproductive system, such as through contaminated talcum powder
Asbestos-related diseases can be devastating, but Lung Cancer Group is here to help. From reviewing treatment options to pursuing compensation, we’ll walk with you after a diagnosis to help you get the support you deserve.
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How Asbestos Exposure Leads to Diseases
Those exposed to asbestos don’t get sick right away. This is because asbestos causes illnesses by slowly damaging healthy parts of the body over the span of decades.
Here’s a look at how asbestos-related diseases develop:
- When people work with asbestos-containing materials, they can breathe in asbestos fibers.
- The fibers can get stuck in the body and irritate healthy tissue. The fibers are so durable that the human body can’t break them down.
- After a long latency period of 10-50 years, this irritation can cause asbestos-related diseases to form.
There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure, so even being exposed just once could lead to illnesses later in life.
Exposure to asbestos can cause different illnesses depending on where the fibers end up within the body.
Types of Asbestos-Related Diseases
Asbestos exposure can cause a wide range of health problems. There are two main types of asbestos-related diseases: benign (noncancerous) ones and malignant (cancerous) ones.
Learn about these asbestos-related diseases and how they can impact your health below.
Malignant Asbestos-Related Diseases
Malignant asbestos-related diseases are cancers. Typically, the prognosis (health outlook) for those diagnosed is poor, since many of these asbestos-caused cancers are aggressive.
However, early detection and treatment of malignant asbestos-related diseases can help some patients live longer.
Lung Cancer
Asbestos-related lung cancer starts in the lung tissue. According to Mayo Clinic, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. Someone can develop asbestos lung cancer if asbestos fibers get stuck in the lungs.
Symptoms and signs of lung cancer typically only emerge once the disease is advanced. Doctors can use physical exams, lung function tests, chest X-rays, and biopsies to diagnose you.
Signs and symptoms of lung cancer may include:
- A cough that doesn’t go away
- Bone pain
- Coughing up blood
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Unintentional weight loss
Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed in a late stage when the cancer is harder to treat, limiting their overall health outlook.
The average 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is 26%, meaning about 1 in 4 patients are still alive 5 years after being diagnosed.
Get help now if you were diagnosed with lung cancer after asbestos exposure: Call (877) 446-5767.
Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that develops after asbestos exposure in the mesothelium, the thin tissue layer that protects most of your internal organs.
You could develop one of four types of mesothelioma depending on where asbestos fibers get stuck in your body.
The types of mesothelioma include:
- Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. It develops in the pleura or the lining of the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, pain in the chest and back, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and weight loss.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the peritoneum, the membrane that lines your abdominal organs and abdomen. The most common symptoms include fluid buildup and pain in the abdomen, a painful mass in your pelvic area, and bulging or swelling in your abdomen.
- Pericardial mesothelioma affects the tissue surrounding the heart. It can cause symptoms like chest pain and difficulty breathing. It’s very rare and has the worst prognosis of any type.
- Testicular mesothelioma is a rare type of mesothelioma that starts in the testicle lining. It causes swelling or masses on testicles.
The overall 5-year survival rate for mesothelioma is 15%, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). However, a patient’s prognosis can vary greatly by mesothelioma type and other factors.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, and studies have linked some cases of ovarian cancer to asbestos exposure.
Women could be at risk of asbestos-related ovarian cancer if they used talcum powder. Talcum powder is made from talc, a naturally occurring mineral often found near asbestos deposits, so cross-contamination could have happened.
Johnson’s baby powder, which was made up of talc, repeatedly tested positive for asbestos contamination over decades, but the company hid the risks. The company currently faces around 90,000 lawsuits from those claiming asbestos in baby powder caused ovarian cancer.
For ovarian cancer, the average 5-year survival rate is over 50%. Some types of ovarian cancer, such as germ cell tumors of the ovary, have 5-year survival rates of up to 93%.
Throat Cancer
Exposure to asbestos is also linked to various throat cancers, including pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.
In cases of laryngeal cancer, malignant tumors form in the tissues of the larynx, the area of the throat that contains the vocal cords. In fact, there’s a “clear link” between asbestos exposure and laryngeal cancer, according to the ACS.
Common signs and symptoms of laryngeal cancer include:
- A cough or sore throat that does not go away
- Ear pain
- Hoarseness or a change in the voice
- A lump in the throat or neck
5-year survival rates for laryngeal cancer range from 35% to 77%, depending on which part of the larynx is cancerous.
Asbestos could also cause pharyngeal cancer, in which tumors develop in different parts of the throat, such as behind the nose or in the back of the throat, according to Stanford Medicine.
Other Types of Asbestos Cancer
People who have been exposed to asbestos may also develop other types of cancer, depending on how the fibers cause harm to their body.
The following cancers could all be caused by asbestos:
- Colon cancer: Asbestos was linked to a higher risk of colon cancer, which is the biggest organ in the large intestine, in a study from Environmental Health Perspectives.
- Rectal cancer: Like the colon, the rectum is part of the large intestine. There’s an association between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer, as noted by Industrial Health.
- Stomach and gastrointestinal cancer: Asbestos can contribute to cancers of various gastrointestinal organs, such as the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and more.
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Benign Asbestos-Related Illnesses
Benign asbestos-related diseases are not cancerous, but many can still be fatal if you don’t get prompt treatment. Learn about benign asbestos-related diseases below.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic respiratory disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibers. It causes severe lung damage. Over time, the lungs become irritated and stiff, making breathing difficult and painful.
Symptoms of asbestosis include:
- A dry, persistent cough
- Breathlessness
- Crackling sounds in your lungs when you inhale
- Toes and fingertips that look rounder and wider than usual (clubbing)
Severe cases of asbestosis cause the lungs and heart to fail, according to the Center for Asbestos-Related Diseases in Libby, Montana.
Pleural Plaques
Pleural plaques happen when a protein called collagen builds up in the pleura, the thin tissue layer that covers your lungs. This is the most common asbestos-related disease, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
Pleural plaques do not cause any symptoms and are harmless. However, thick and widespread pleural plaques may indicate a more serious pleural disease, such as mesothelioma.
Pleural Effusions
A pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid between the tissue layers that line the chest cavity and lungs. They are often symptoms of other asbestos lung diseases, including lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of pleural effusions can include:
- Chest pain that gets worse with deep breaths or coughing
- Cough
- Fever and chills
- Hiccups
- Rapid breathing
Patients can also develop pericardial or peritoneal effusions when fluid accumulates in the heart or abdomen, respectively. They cause issues like shortness of breath, weight gain, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Medical treatments can help drain effusions and ease symptoms. Afford treatments with our team’s help: Call (877) 446-5767 now.
Other Benign Asbestos-Related Conditions
Asbestos exposure can cause other benign conditions, many of which impact the lungs and chest and cause issues with breathing.
Additional benign diseases caused by asbestos exposure include:
- Atelectasis: This is the partial or complete collapse of a lung. It happens when the alveoli, tiny sacs in the lung where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged, become filled with fluid or deflated. Atelectasis can make breathing challenging.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): This is a chronic inflammatory lung condition that obstructs airflow from the lungs. Symptoms include mucus production, cough, breathing difficulty, and wheezing.
- Diffuse pleural thickening: This can happen when scarring thickens the lung lining and chest wall. When this happens, your lungs cannot expand like they used to, leaving you with decreased lung function.
Like pleural effusions, several of these diseases, such as a collapsed lung or pleural thickening, could be early signs of more serious asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma.
For this reason, it’s crucial to tell your doctor about any asbestos exposure history so they can help test for these more aggressive health issues.
What Is the Prognosis for Asbestos Illnesses?
The prognosis or expected outcome for each asbestos disease varies significantly, but many of the benign conditions have better health outlooks.
For example, pleural plaques cause no symptoms, while pleural effusions and thickening can cause symptoms like pain and breathing issues, but can be treated. A notable exception is asbestosis, which can be fatal and is only treated using pain-relieving options.
On the other hand, malignant asbestos diseases like lung cancer usually have a poor prognosis. These conditions are especially hard to treat because, in many cases, they don’t actually cause any symptoms until they’ve spread.
The general lung cancer prognosis is 7-16 months, but in some cases, patients can live for decades depending on how their cancer responds to treatment.
Compensation for Diseases Caused by Asbestos Exposure
The health effects of asbestos can be devastating — and expensive. For example, lung cancer or mesothelioma can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat, and insurance may not cover everything.
Your family shouldn’t have to shoulder the financial expenses that asbestos-related diseases bring alone. The good news is that asbestos and lung cancer compensation may be available.
Lung Cancer Group has partnered with Simmons Hanly Conroy and Sokolove Law, two of the nation’s leading asbestos law firms, who may be able to secure payouts depending on your situation.
Notable payouts recovered by our partner asbestos law firms include:
- $40.1 million to a U.S. Navy veteran in Washington
- $1 million to a New York electrician with lung cancer
- $7.6 million to an asbestosis patient
- $1.6 million to a plumber and his wife who both had lung cancer
- $9.6 million to a construction worker from California with mesothelioma
- $11.26 million to an Arizona mesothelioma patient
Get a free case review now to find out how much could be available in your case.
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Get Help for an Asbestos-Related Disease
If you suspect you have lung cancer or another illness related to asbestos exposure, talk to your doctor. They can run tests to properly diagnose you and from there, help you get treatments to live as long as possible.
Lung Cancer Group is also here to assist you or someone you love impacted by an asbestos-related disease diagnosis.
We can help by:
- Providing information on treatment options
- Determining if you qualify for asbestos compensation to cover costs
- Offering support to you and your family during this time
Call (877) 446-5767 or get a free case review now to find out if we can work with you or someone you love.
Asbestos-Related Diseases FAQs
How does asbestos cause diseases?
Stray asbestos fibers can get lodged in the lungs and other body parts when people inhale them. Over time, asbestos fibers build up and cause tissue scarring and inflammation.
This can eventually cause healthy cells to become cancerous or lead to long-term but benign health problems like asbestosis.
What are common asbestos disease symptoms?
Many asbestos-related diseases share similar symptoms that affect the respiratory system.
Notable asbestos disease symptoms include:
- A cough
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Weight and appetite loss
However, it’s likely that you won’t have any symptoms at first. Generally, asbestos related-diseases can take up to 50 years to develop after initial exposure.
If you believe you’ve been exposed to asbestos, talk to your health care provider about steps you can take to protect yourself and slow the progress of asbestos-related diseases.
We’re also able to help review your medical and financial options if you’re facing asbestos-related illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma. Call (877) 446-5767 now to get started.
Why was asbestos used if it could cause diseases?
Asbestos-based products were used from the 1930s to the early 1980s because manufacturers hid the risks and emphasized the benefits of using them. Asbestos was fireproof, highly durable, and a great insulator.
Workers were routinely exposed in high-risk asbestos occupations, such as construction, manufacturing, and shipyard work, since they had to handle materials like insulation made with asbestos every day.
The passage of the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 and other acts in the 1980s put limits on asbestos and other carcinogens. But, there was no way to lower the risk among those already exposed, and many are just getting sick now.
Are all asbestos diseases curable?
No, asbestos diseases are generally not curable. Once you inhale asbestos fibers, they will remain in your lungs forever, leading to irreversible scarring and inflammation.
However, it’s often possible to get treatments that can help you live for a long time with asbestos-related diseases and ease your symptoms. There are long-term mesothelioma and lung cancer survivors, some who’ve lived for 20 years or more after a diagnosis.
Can you get compensation for a benign asbestos disease?
Yes, you can potentially get compensation for benign asbestos diseases like asbestosis. While every case is unique, some have received significant payouts from working with our partner asbestos attorneys.
In one case, an asbestosis patient secured $7.6 million by working with Sokolove Law, our affiliated asbestos law firm.
Get a free case review now to find out if you’re eligible to pursue asbestos compensation.
Do all types of asbestos cause disease?
Yes. All types of asbestos, including actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, crocidolite, amphibole, and chrysotile asbestos, are carcinogenic, or cancer-causing.
There is no safe level of exposure to any type of asbestos. This means you could develop an asbestos-related disease even if you were exposed just once to any type of asbestos fibers.
Which asbestos-related disease causes scarring on the lungs?
Multiple asbestos-related diseases involve lung scarring, including asbestosis and lung cancer. When asbestos fibers get stuck in the lung tissue, they won’t leave and could cause chronic damage that eventually leads to scarring.
In asbestosis, that scar tissue makes it harder and harder to breathe, and this can eventually have fatal complications. Lung cancer can develop when damaged lung cells mutate into cancerous ones.
