Asbestos-Related Diseases: What You Need to Know

Asbestos was once called a “miracle mineral” for its strength, fire resistance, and durability. It was used across industries—from construction and shipbuilding to manufacturing and power generation. But this so-called miracle came at a devastating cost. When asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed, they can lodge in the body for decades, silently causing damage that can lead to deadly diseases.

Before diving into the details, here’s what you need to know:

There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos.

All forms of asbestos can cause cancer.

All forms of asbestos can cause asbestosis.

Despite the bans in many countries, and strict regulation in the U.S., the legacy of asbestos lives on—in older buildings, industrial equipment, and in the lungs of those who worked with it.

A Brief History of Asbestos Disease

Asbestos use didn't just coincide with the Industrial Revolution—it helped power it. Its resistance to heat and fire made it ideal for insulating steam engines, boilers, shipyards, and factories. By the early 20th century, asbestos could be found in everything from building materials to brake pads.

But as industrial use surged, so did cases of breathing disorders in workers handling the material. A new disease began appearing in the lungs of those exposed to asbestos dust. In 1924, Dr. W.E. Cooke, a British pathologist, officially named the condition 'asbestosis' in his study documenting the death of Nellie Kershaw, marking the first formal recognition of the disease caused by prolonged asbestos exposure.

“Nellie worked spinning asbestos threads for years, coughing up blood while her employer denied responsibility. Her autopsy revealed severe scarring in the lungs—what we now recognize as classic asbestosis. She died at age 33, and her case not only brought public attention to the dangers of asbestos but also played a role in the development of the 1931 Asbestos Industry Regulations, which aimed to reduce workers' exposure to asbestos dust.

[Read more about Nellie Kershaw →]

In the 1930s, the asbestos industry funded a study at Saranac Laboratory, hoping to prove the mineral was safe. However, the opposite happened. Researchers exposed mice to asbestos, and 82% of them developed tumors. The findings were so damning that asbestos companies suppressed the results, refusing to publish the data and actively covering it up.

By 1938, leading German pathologists had already concluded that lung cancer was an occupational hazard of asbestos exposure. This view—supported by researchers like Nordmann and Hornig—became official policy in 1943, when Nazi Germany recognized lung cancer caused by asbestos as a compensable occupational disease. German researchers not only accepted the cancer risk, but also documented several autopsy cases linking asbestosis and lung cancer, and began implementing protective measures for exposed workers​. Because the asbestos companies buried the Saranac studies, the rest of the world didn't learn about the link between asbestos and lung cancer until the 1955.

British epidemiologist Dr. Richard Doll published a landmark study that confirmed what whistleblowers and early researchers had long suspected.

In 1955, British epidemiologist Dr. Richard Doll provided the first systematic, scientific evidence linking asbestos exposure to lung cancer in his study entitled "Mortality from Lung Cancer in Asbestos Workers," published in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine. Doll meticulously examined the mortality rates of 113 male asbestos textile workers who had been employed for over 20 years in a factory in Northern England. His findings were striking: the workers experienced a significantly higher rate of lung cancer deaths compared to the general population. Specifically, 11 lung cancer deaths were observed in the cohort, whereas only 0.8 deaths were expected based on national averages. This represented a staggering 14-fold increase in risk.

[Read more about Richard Doll’s research →]

But the most feared asbestos disease wasn’t fully understood until the 1960s. In South Africa, Dr. Chris Wagner discovered a rare, aggressive cancer—mesothelioma—in people living near asbestos mines, including some with no direct occupational exposure. His work, published in the landmark study entitled "Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in the North Western Cape Province" (1960), demonstrated that mesothelioma was strongly linked to asbestos exposure. Wagner's findings revealed that even low-level, environmental exposure to crocidolite (blue asbestos) could be deadly, fundamentally changing the understanding of asbestos-related risks and sparking global concern over its use.

In the United States, Dr. Irving Selikoff took up the fight. In 1964, he published a landmark study in the Journal of the American Medical Association entitled Asbestos Exposure and Neoplasia. His research tracked U.S. and Canadian insulation workers and revealed staggering rates of asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma—proving that long-term asbestos exposure carried severe and often fatal health consequences. Selikoff’s study was one of the first to show a clear, statistical link between occupational asbestos exposure and cancer in a large group of workers. Even those exposed decades earlier faced dramatically increased risks.

The impact was immediate and far-reaching. Selikoff's work helped push asbestos to the forefront of public health discussions and directly influenced the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 1971, leading to tougher workplace exposure limits and a new era of industrial safety regulation. Efforts to ban asbestos in the U.S. began in the 1970s with partial restrictions, such as the EPA’s 1973 ban on spray-on asbestos insulation. A comprehensive 1989 EPA ban was overturned in 1991 by the Fifth Circuit Court, allowing continued use of chrysotile asbestos.

Decades of advocacy, failed legislation like the 2007 Ban Asbestos in America Act, and persistent industry pushback delayed progress. The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act gained traction but stalled. Finally, on March 18, 2024, the EPA finalized a historic rule banning chrysotile asbestos, the last form in use, marking a significant victory for public health, though phase-out periods extend up to 12 years for some industries.

What Diseases Are Caused by Asbestos?

Asbestos causes both cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (nonmalignant) diseases. Some are rare but aggressive, like mesothelioma. Others, like asbestosis or pleural plaques, are more common but still life-altering. Here’s an overview:

Malignant (Cancerous) Diseases

Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), or heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Mesothelioma is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure and has a long latency period, often taking 20-50 years to develop. [ Learn more about mesothelioma →]

Lung Cancer: Lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure often results from inhaling fibers that lodge deep in the lungs. Smokers exposed to asbestos face an even greater risk due to the synergistic effects of smoking and asbestos. [ Learn more about asbestos-related lung cancer →]

Throat Cancer (Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Cancer): Asbestos exposure increases the risk of cancers in the throat, including the larynx and pharynx. These cancers may develop when asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed. [ Learn more about throat cancer and asbestos →]

Stomach Cancer: Ingesting asbestos fibers—whether through contaminated water, food, or occupational exposure—has been linked to an elevated risk of stomach cancer. [ Learn more about stomach cancer and asbestos →]

Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer): Known as colorectal cancer, this condition can arise when asbestos fibers are ingested and cause chronic inflammation in the colon. [ Learn more about colon cancer and asbestos →]

Ovarian Cancer: Asbestos exposure has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer, particularly through the use of asbestos-contaminated talcum powder. Asbestos fibers can migrate through the reproductive tract or be absorbed into the bloodstream, where they may cause inflammation and cellular damage that can lead to cancer. [ Learn more about ovarian cancer and asbestos →]

Nonmalignant (Non-Cancerous) Diseases

Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, leading to lung scarring (fibrosis). Asbestosis can cause severe breathing difficulties and increase the risk of lung infections. [ Learn more about asbestosis →]

Pleural Plaques: Hardened areas of fibrous tissue in the pleura (lining of the lungs). While pleural plaques are not cancerous, they are a marker of asbestos exposure and may indicate increased risk for other asbestos-related conditions. [ Learn more about pleural plaques →]

Both malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related diseases pose significant health risks, often developing decades after initial exposure. Early detection and diagnosis are critical for managing these conditions effectively. To learn more about specific diseases, follow the links above to detailed pages for each condition.

Who Is at Risk for Developing an Asbestos-Related Disease?

Most people associate asbestos exposure with working directly in heavy industry—and those workers are at high risk. But they’re not the only ones. Because asbestos fibers are microscopic, durable, and easily transported, many people were exposed without ever handling asbestos themselves.

Certain jobs carried a high risk of asbestos exposure simply because of the materials and tools workers handled every day. These include:

These workers often handled raw asbestos materials or disturbed older asbestos-containing products. The exposure was direct, frequent, and often heavy. Many of them now face elevated rates of asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Explore the occupations at highest risk of asbestos exposure →

Bystander Exposure

But it wasn’t just the person installing insulation who was at risk. If asbestos was present on a job site, everyone on that site could be exposed—regardless of their job title.

This is called bystander exposure, and it happened in countless factories, refineries, shipyards, and construction sites. For example:

• A welder working across the room from pipe insulators

• A warehouse worker stationed near a boiler room

• A laborer sweeping up dust without knowing it contained asbestos

These workers never touched asbestos themselves—but they worked in clouds of dust created by others. That dust lingered in the air, settled on surfaces, and was stirred up repeatedly. In many workplaces, there was no protective gear, no ventilation, and no warning.

Learn more about asbestos in industrial settings →

Secondary (Household) Exposure

Family members of workers were often unknowingly exposed through secondary exposure—by breathing in asbestos fibers brought home on clothing, shoes, or even skin and hair. This includes:

• Spouses who did the laundry and shook out dusty work clothes.

• Children who hugged their fathers when they got home or played inside vehicles and garages filled with asbestos dust.

• Babies crawling on carpets where asbestos fibers had settled.

Many of these individuals—especially women and children—later developed the same asbestos diseases as the workers themselves. That's why we offer free asbestos health tests to the families of asbestos workers.

Learn more about secondary exposure to asbestos. →

Legal Options for People Who Have an Asbestos-Related Disease

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. The law provides several ways for individuals and families to seek justice and support—without having to pay anything out of pocket.

Most cases are resolved through one of the following:

Asbestos Trust Claims

Asbestos trust funds were established by companies that manufactured or used asbestos-containing products to compensate victims of asbestos exposure. These trusts are often the fastest way to secure compensation without going to court.

• Who Qualifies: Workers, family members, or anyone diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease due to exposure to asbestos-containing products.

• What’s Covered: Compensation amounts vary depending on the severity of the illness and the trust’s current payment percentage.

Learn more about asbestos trust claims →

Asbestos Lawsuits

If an asbestos trust claim isn’t an option or doesn’t fully cover your damages, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against companies responsible for your exposure. These lawsuits can result in substantial compensation for victims and their families.

• Who Qualifies: Those exposed to asbestos through a workplace, product, or environment where companies were negligent.

• What’s Covered: Compensation for pain and suffering, medical costs, and punitive damages in some cases.

Learn more about asbestos lawsuits →

Disability Claims

For individuals who are no longer able to work due to an asbestos-related disease, disability claims provide critical financial support.

• Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI): Available for individuals who meet specific medical criteria.

• Veterans Benefits: Many military veterans were exposed to asbestos during their service and may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Learn more about asbestos disability claims →

Why Legal Action Matters

Pursuing legal action isn’t just about financial compensation—it’s about justice.

Asbestos companies knew the dangers of their products and failed to warn the public. Legal claims are one of the only tools victims have to hold those companies accountable. Compensation can provide peace of mind for you and your family—helping cover medical bills, replacing lost income, and ensuring access to high-quality care.

But time matters. Many claims are limited by deadlines tied to your diagnosis. That’s why we encourage anyone who may have been exposed—even decades ago—to take the first step now.

Free Asbestos Health Testing & Legal Consultation

If you’ve been exposed to asbestos—or lived with someone who was—we offer free services to help you protect your health and your rights:

• Free Asbestos Health Test: If you’ve experienced symptoms or had known exposure, we’ll help arrange medical testing at no cost to you.

• Free Legal Consultation: Speak with an experienced asbestos attorney. We’ll review your exposure history and help you understand your legal options—without pressure and at no cost.

Whether you're newly diagnosed or just starting to ask questions, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Talk to Us Today

📞 Call 833-4-ASBESTOS - Or fill out the secure contact form below.

There’s no cost to get answers—and no obligation to move forward. Just honest guidance, trusted support, and a team that treats your family like our own.

References

Castleman, B. I. (1991). Asbestos and cancer: history and public policy. British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 48(6), 427–432. https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.48.6.427

Selikoff, I.J., Churg, J., & Hammond, E.C. (1964). Asbestos Exposure and Neoplasia. Journal of the American Medical Association, 188(1), 22-26.