Lung Disease

Common lung diseases include lung cancer, asbestosis, and COPD. These diseases can affect your health in different ways, with lung cancer and others having a more severe impact. Treatment can help you or someone you love potentially live longer. Learn about the most common lung diseases and what to expect with each below.

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Written and Fact-Checked by: Lung Cancer Group

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Top Topics:

Types
Causes
Treatment
Financial Support

What Is a Lung Disease?

A lung disease is any condition affecting lung function. Over 34 million Americans live with chronic lung conditions, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).

While minor lung illnesses like respiratory bugs don’t pose a big threat to your health, more severe ones can cause long-term health issues or even be fatal, especially without medical care.

Serious lung diseases include:

Lung cancer
Asbestosis (scarring of lungs due to asbestos fibers)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Emphysema

While it can be scary to face a chronic or serious lung disease, it’s important to stay hopeful. Some patients have lived for decades with even the most aggressive lung diseases, like cancer.

If you are suffering from a lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos or silica, Lung Cancer Group may be able to help you get compensation for treatment costs. Get started with a free case review now.

Types of Lung Diseases

Over 100 lung diseases are considered interstitial, meaning they prevent you from getting enough oxygen. Doctors also classify lung diseases depending on if they affect airways, the tissue of the lungs, or circulation.

Airway Lung Diseases

These conditions affect the airways, which carry oxygen in and out of the lungs. Airway lung diseases block or narrow these tubes, making it hard to breathe.

Examples of airway diseases include:

Asthma causes airways to become inflamed and narrowed at times.
Bronchiectasis occurs when the airways widen due to damage. Mucus can accumulate and put you at risk of infection.
Bronchiolitis is usually caused by a virus that builds up mucus in the airways. It can lead to swelling and irritation in the bronchi, the airways connecting the windpipe to the lungs.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term inflammation that blocks airflow between the bronchi and the lungs. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are considered types of COPD that affect different parts of the lungs.

Diseases That Affect Lung Tissue

Many lung illnesses cause scarring of the lungs, which will prevent you from breathing normally. You may have a hard time catching your breath or feel pain as a result.

Examples of lung tissue disease include:

Emphysema weakens the lung tissue, causing the walls of the alveoli (air sacs) to break down. This means you won’t get enough air.
Lung cancer weakens lung tissue as cancerous cells grow out of control and develop into tumors.
Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease where scar tissue builds up, causing breathing problems. Subtypes include asbestosis, which is caused by asbestos fibers, or silicosis, which is caused by silica dust.

Did you develop a lung disease from exposure to asbestos or silica? We can help you get compensation to cover treatment costs. Contact us today.

Lung Diseases That Affect Circulation

Diseases that impact circulation make it harder for the lungs to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Some lung circulation illnesses may also affect heart function.

Lung diseases that affect circulation include pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure, and sarcoidosis, where you develop lumps in the lung that cause a cough, wheezing, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat.

Causes of Lung Disease

A number of risk factors could cause you or someone you love to develop lung disease. Basically, anything that’s not oxygen could possibly harm your lungs and contribute to getting sick.

Examples of risk factors for lung disease include:

Allergens
Environmental pollutants like radon
Genetic mutations
Occupational exposure to asbestos or silica dust
Smoking tobacco or inhaling secondhand smoke

Having more than one of these risk factors can increase your chances of getting sick. For example, you’re more likely to develop lung cancer if you smoked and were exposed to asbestos fibers.

Asbestos Exposure

When inhaled, tiny, sharp asbestos fibers can become lodged in lung tissue, causing inflammation and scarring over time. The body has difficulty expelling these fibers, and after 10-50 years of damage, asbestos can cause serious lung diseases to form.

Asbestos-related lung diseases include:

Asbestosis (chronic lung scarring)
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma (cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs or other organs)

Symptoms of asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma often don’t develop until they are in later stages, which makes them harder to treat. Still, you could be able to live a long time if you get aggressive treatment.

Many cases of asbestos-related lung diseases could have been prevented, but weren’t. Manufacturers of asbestos-containing products understood the health risks but hid them for decades, and may be to blame if you got sick.

Get financial compensation for asbestos-related lung diseases. Start the process now with a free case review.

Silica Dust Exposure

If you worked with or around quartz or other stones, such as by making granite countertops, you could be at risk of lung diseases. When breathed in, silica dust particles can get stuck in the lungs, causing inflammation and the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis).

Over time, this scarring can lead to silicosis, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory diseases.

Smoking

Many lung diseases are caused by smoking. Cigarette and pipe tobacco contain chemicals that can damage your lungs. You’re at a higher risk of serious lung-related illnesses caused by smoking if you smoked for many years.

Common types of lung diseases caused by smoking include lung cancer, COPD, and emphysema.

Diagnosing Lung Diseases

Doctors use various tests to diagnose lung diseases. These tests show whether your symptoms are caused by lung disease or other conditions.

Common diagnostic tests include:

Basic health examinations to assess your symptoms, listen to your breathing, and determine if more testing is needed. Doctors will also go over your health history, including if you smoked or were exposed to toxins like asbestos.
Imaging scans like CT scans, X-rays, PET scans, and MRIs allow doctors to see inside your lungs and other nearby organs. This can help check for signs of lung diseases.
Pulmonary function tests measure the amount of air you can breathe in and out and if your lungs are getting enough oxygen. The most common test is spirometry, where you blow into a tube and a machine measures your lung function.
Biopsies are small samples of tissue taken from parts of your body that may be affected by lung disease. They are the only way to confirm if you have lung-related cancers

Your doctor can determine which type of diagnostic testing will be needed in your case. Sometimes, a basic health exam is all that’s needed to make a diagnosis.

If you currently smoke or smoked for a long time, doctors may also recommend getting regular lung cancer screenings. This can help catch lung cancer before it causes any symptoms, which may make it easier to treat.

Lung Diseases Treatment

Lung disease can change your life forever, but there are many different types of treatment available depending on which one you have.

Common treatment options include:

Medications can ease inflammation, lower blood pressure, and reduce discomfort.
Oxygen therapy could allow you to breathe better if your lungs are weakened.
Physical therapy can improve your strength and reduce side effects like fatigue.
Pulmonary rehabilitation programs are held at outpatient clinics, hospitals, or online. They combine education, exercise training, nutrition, social support, and counseling.
Surgery can help people with severe lung disease. For example, doctors may recommend lung volume reduction surgery, bullectomy (surgery to remove air pockets), or a lung transplant for patients with severe COPD.
Clinical trials are testing new and better treatments to hopefully improve options for more patients.

Talk to lung disease specialists to learn more about which treatments will work best in your case. The right lung disease treatment plan can greatly increase your quality of life and survival time.

Get a free case review to find help affording lung disease treatments. You may qualify for financial compensation that can cover medical expenses.

Lung Disease Prognosis

The prognosis or expected outcome of lung diseases varies depending on the type you have. Generally, lung diseases that are diagnosed earlier have a better prognosis.

Prognosis is measured using life expectancy, which is how long the average person lives after a diagnosis, and survival rate, the number of patients still alive after a set amount of years.

Here are some prognostic figures for common lung diseases:

For COPD, the 5-year survival rate ranges between 40-70%. Patients live for 7 and a half years on average.
Lung cancer has an average 5-year survival rate of 28.4%, with life expectancy ranging from 7-16 months. Long-term survival is possible, though.
Pulmonary fibrosis has a 5-year survival rate of about 45%. In severe cases, patients typically live for 3-4 months.
Silicosis has a 3-year survival rate of 68.3%. Patients live between 11 and 27 years on average depending on how serious their case is, according to Frontiers in Oncology.

Many factors, including how advanced your lung disease is, which treatments you receive, your overall health, and more, all impact your prognosis. Your medical provider can give you a better idea of what to expect moving forward.

Financial Support Options for Lung Disease

Treating lung diseases can be expensive, especially if you don’t have insurance or have a high deductible. Fortunately, it may be possible to access financial compensation to cover treatment costs.

Financial options for those with lung diseases include:

Asbestos trust funds contain more than $30 billion set aside by manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. You may qualify for part of this money if you have a lung disease linked to asbestos like lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma.
Personal injury lawsuits are a way to seek money for mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious illnesses. These lawsuits have awarded $1 million or more in some cases, allowing you to afford medical expenses and any other costs.
Wrongful death lawsuits can be filed if you lost a loved one to a serious lung disease. The money can be used for funeral costs, leftover medical bills, and anything else as you see fit.

Contact our team now to find out if you may qualify for different types of lung disease compensation.

Help for Lung Diseases

Serious lung diseases like lung cancer and asbestosis can be devastating to families. In some cases, these illnesses could have been prevented by companies ones that used asbestos.

Manufacturers knew asbestos could lead to serious lung diseases but concealed the health risks. If you or someone you love worked with or around asbestos and later got sick, Lung Cancer Group may be able to assist you.

Our team can:

Provide information on lung disease treatments
Help you seek compensation
Offer support to you and your family

Call (877) 446-5767 or get a free case review now to learn more about the ways we can help if you’re facing a lung disease.

Lung Disease FAQs

What are the 7 most common lung diseases?

The 7 most common lung diseases are:

Lung cancer
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Asthma
Silicosis
Bronchiectasis
Interstitial lung disease
Pulmonary fibrosis

COPD and asthma are the most common out of all lung diseases. Many of these illnesses can cause long-term complications or lead to death without treatment.

If you’ve been diagnosed with any of these lung diseases, consult with a specialized doctor to get advice on next steps you can take.

Can asbestos cause interstitial lung disease?

Yes, asbestos exposure can cause interstitial lung diseases. If you worked with or around asbestos, fibers could have been released into the air that you breathed in. The fibers could get stuck in your body, causing serious health problems.

Lung diseases caused by asbestos include:

Asbestosis
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma
Pleural diseases (which affect the lining of the lungs)

Even being exposed to asbestos just once could cause you to get sick later in life. However, you’re at a greater risk if you were regularly exposed to asbestos, such as at your job.

If you believe asbestos exposure caused you to develop a lung disease, contact us. We may be able to help you get treatment and money to pay for it.

What causes lung disease?

There are many possible causes of lung disease, with some of the most common being cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke, radon, and air pollution.

Asbestos is also a major cause of lung diseases. For example, it’s the only known cause of asbestosis and mesothelioma, and can increase the odds of lung cancer in smokers.

If you or someone you love was exposed to asbestos and is now feeling unwell, talk to a doctor about your concerns.

What is the most serious lung disease?

Some of the most serious lung diseases include lung cancer, asbestosis, silicosis, and COPD. Lung cancer can spread quickly and lead to death if it’s not diagnosed and treated quickly. The others slowly weaken the lungs, preventing you from breathing normally.

Make sure you’re getting expert medical care if you’ve been diagnosed with any of these lung diseases. Doing so can give you the best chance of living longer.

How many people have a lung disease?

Sadly, lung diseases are fairly common. The ALA estimates that 34 million Americans live with lung conditions.

In addition, 545 million people suffer from a chronic respiratory condition or lung disease across the globe, according to recent studies.

How do I find lung disease specialists near me?

Call (877) 446-5767 now for help finding lung disease specialists and exploring treatment options. If eligible, we may be able to connect you with experts close to you. We can also determine if you’re able to pursue financial compensation to cover treatment costs.