What is Asbestos Fibrosis?
Asbestos fibrosis, also known as asbestosis, is a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.
Asbestos fibrosis can lead to scarring of lung tissue, making it harder to breathe and increasing the risk of serious conditions like lung cancer.
What is a Fibrosis?
Fibrosis is a response to injury that leads to the growth of connective fibrous tissues. It happens when someone eats or inhales toxic fibers, fumes, or dust. Asbestos fibrosis, specifically, occurs when people inhale or ingest asbestos fibers. The effects can be mild or fatal depending on the extent and duration of a person’s exposure. The respiratory system suffers the most from asbestos injuries, leading to the development of breathing difficulties and/or coughing, and eventually, respiratory failure.
Fibroids are non-cancerous uterine tumors that specifically affect women during reproductive age. Fibroids are not related to asbestos exposure.
Definition of Asbestos Fibrosis
Asbestos fibrosis is the formation of fibrous tissue as a response to injury to the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos. Microscopic asbestos fibers attach to the lining of the lungs after being inhaled, breaking down the protective membranes and tearing lung tissue.
Asbestos fibrosis is also commonly referred to as pulmonary fibrosis or asbestosis. It first affects respiratory bronchioles and can extend to the alveolar walls. Unfortunately, the condition progresses even after exposure ceases. In fact, symptoms often don’t manifest until several decades later.
Fibrosis hardens the lungs while increasing their volume, depriving a person of sufficient oxygen circulation. Patients tend to experience difficulty breathing and fatigue. As the disease progresses, other, more severe conditions can develop, including lung cancer.
Asbestos Use and Its Dangers
Humans have used asbestos since prehistoric times.
In ancient Greece, for example, asbestos was used in artwork, tapestries, clay pottery, and lamp wicks, as well as in many other applications. During the Industrial Revolution in the U.S., it was adopted for use in various industries, including fire prevention, construction, and automotives, among others.
Since asbestos occurs naturally on all continents, it was cheap and widely available, as well as heat resistant and durable. The mineral was used extensively in the military, especially in ships
People didn’t discover the dangers of asbestos until 1897. However, Dr. Montague Murray recorded the first asbestos medical report in 1906. Workers in asbestos mines in Italy and France were dying at a young age at an alarming rate, and the same observations were made among U.S. asbestos workers, especially those working in factories and in mines. While it would take many years for these reports to be made public, pathologists at the time found most victims to have asbestos fibers in their lungs.
Eventually, medical experts found and officially recorded that inhaling asbestos fibers leads to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, among many other diseases. Numerous countries began to ban its use altogether and the U.S. began to heavily regulate it.
How Asbestos Lead to Asbestos Fibrosis
When asbestos fibers get into the respiratory system, they attach themselves to the lungs. Once embedded into the lining of the lungs, they cannot be removed.
Over time, embedded fibers lead to scarring. In an attempt to heal, the lungs will develop some connective fibrous tissues. Since the fibers are still attached to the lungs, the scarring and forming of fibers will continue. In the end, lung capacity is drastically reduced. A patient will experience difficulty breathing and fatigue and have lower immunity to respiratory diseases.
Any amount of asbestos poses health risks to those exposed. However, the type and severity of asbestos-related disease can depend on the extent of a person’s exposure. One may experience the symptoms a few years to several decades after they’ve inhaled asbestos.
Types of Asbestos Fibrosis
It’s important to note that there are two types of asbestos fibers, distinguished based largely on their shape. Serpentine asbestos is curvy and flexible, often becoming embedded in the uppermost part of the respiratory system. Amphibole fibers, on the other hand, are straight and stiff. They are able to travel further down the respiratory system and attach to the lungs. They are also insoluble.
These types of fibers cause both malignant and non-malignant medical conditions. Malignant diseases include cancers such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Non-malignant asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis, pleural plaques, collapsed lungs, pericarditis, and ascites. Most asbestos-related illnesses cause pain and discomfort and have no cure.
Fibrosis Symptoms and Treatment
Since fibrosis can happen after a variety of toxins like asbestos, coal, and some hard metals are inhaled, victims experience different types of pulmonary diseases depending on their exposure.
Asbestosis has some common symptoms including difficulty breathing, chest pains and tightening, persistent dry cough, clubbing of toes and fingertips, and fatigue. It can be mistaken for another health condition, particularly because of symptom latency.
Asbestos fibrosis, or asbestosis, has a long latency period, meaning symptoms may not appear until 10 to 50+ years after exposure to asbestos.
This delayed onset of asbestos fibrosis makes it dangerous because the damage to the lungs can progress unnoticed for decades, increasing the risk of severe health issues like lung cancer or mesothelioma by the time it’s detected.
The severity of fibrosis symptoms depends on the extent of the damage caused. Collapsed lungs and deteriorated heart function due to lack of oxygen can result.
There’s no cure for fibrosis. However, interventions may prolong the life of a victim and/or increase quality of life. Steroids help to improve lung function while preventing further scarring. Oxygen therapy can also help victims with breathing. But in severe cases, a patient may have to undergo a lung transplant to be able to breathe properly.
Why Fibrosis is the Most Common Asbestos Fatality
Fibrosis reduces lung function. Thus, a patient has reduced oxygen circulation in the body. As a result, the patient’s immunity drops, making them susceptible to various, sometimes fatal respiratory diseases.
Although scientific studies haven’t definitively linked asbestos poisoning to diseases like tuberculosis, it’s observed that asbestos victims are more likely to contract and succumb to TB. Also, continued scarring from fibers triggers different types of cancer.
Reduced oxygen circulation in the body subjects a patient to constant fatigue and lowers one’s immunity. All of these factors can make fibrosis fatal.
The Importance of Ongoing Screening for Asbestos Disease
Asbestos fibrosis symptoms may take up to five decades or more to manifest. Thus, screening is crucial for anyone who believes they’ve been exposed. This aids in early detection and improved outcomes.
X-rays, blood tests, CT scans, or MRIs are common asbestos exposure screening methods. A lung biopsy, bronchoscopy, or lung function tests can also be utilized.
Conclusion
Asbestos fibrosis is the formation of fibrous tissues in the lungs after exposure to asbestos. There is no known cure, but there are different methods for symptom management. This can help prevent further damage and decrease the risk of developing malignant diseases.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2304688/pdf/brmedj05824-0015a.pdf