Once inhaled into the lungs, the fibers can cause a scarring that leads to a hardening of the tissue. As the damage and scarring progress in the alveoli, it will cause respiratory trouble, making it hard for the person to breathe. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is only known to be caused by exposure to asbestos.
Like asbestosis, it takes prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos particles for a person to be at risk for mesothelioma, and it can take many years for the condition to be diagnosed. When you look at the symptoms of these diseases, there are many commonalities. This similarity is one of the reasons that there is some confusion between asbestosis and mesothelioma. Among the symptoms that are common, you have weight loss, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and chest pain.
Both conditions also have a long latency period; meaning that diagnosis does not usually occur until years after the first exposure. A definite difference however, is that a patient with asbestosis would be more likely to develop clubbed fingers. Once diagnosed, it is not uncommon for a person with mesothelioma to be given a prognosis of about months. For a person with asbestosis, the outlook is generally better, and you could live for decades.
While the prognosis for asbestosis is better, it can still be deadly. As the disease progresses, the symptoms will get worse, and quality of life will decline. The treatments for mesothelioma tend to be aggressive, going after the disease in an attempt to extend the lifespan of the patient. As swelling and inflammation increase over time, cellular waste and fluid accumulate in the pleura surrounding the lungs.
The increased pressure on the lungs exacerbates most symptoms and can lead to respiratory distress. Significant, prolonged or repeated exposures to asbestos fibers are the cause for all asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos fibers are small, needle-like mineral compounds that travel through the air when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or break apart.
The body cannot degrade asbestos fibers after inhaling them, causing the mineral to become trapped within the lungs, pleura and other tissue. Their presence triggers the immune system to raise an inflammatory response in an attempt to remove the fibers. Over time, the inflammation causes damage and scarring, leading to one or more asbestos-related diseases, such as:.
Malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer develop as a result of damage to DNA caused by repeated inflammation and the unique shape of asbestos fibers.
Faulty DNA leads to unrestricted cellular division and the formation of cancerous tumors, which can grow and spread throughout the body. Repeated inflammation in the lungs also leads to scar tissue formation and asbestosis.
Scar tissue is more rigid than healthy tissue and causes the lungs to stiffen, restricting their ability to expand for a full breath. Scar tissue that forms in the alveoli blocks oxygen from entering the bloodstream.
Combined with increased lung rigidity, these issues cause chronic deficiencies in oxygen and respiratory complications that progress with age. Diagnosing any asbestos-related disease requires thorough medical and occupational screening. Similar to other forms of pulmonary fibrosis, the cause of asbestosis may not be revealed through a review of symptoms and simple imaging unless there is a known history or risk of toxic exposure.
The first step in diagnosing both diseases is talking with a primary care physician about respiratory changes or other health issues. A doctor will order a chest X-ray or CT scan to determine if there are visual abnormalities in the lungs. Unfortunately, neither illness has discrete imaging findings until the disease has progressed for several years.
Initial signs of either illness may appear on imaging as areas of higher density, which could represent either scar tissue or a small tumor mass. Because these signs take so long to develop, a diagnostic picture does not begin to form until many years after asbestos exposure. To differentiate between asbestosis and mesothelioma, however, a biopsy must be performed. There are several types of biopsies, including:.
These procedures may also help physicians identify signs of pleural thickening or pleural effusion, which could lead to a diagnostic confirmation. In most cases, doctors do not rule out cancer until a biopsy is returned negative. Treatment options differ significantly between mesothelioma and asbestosis. Once a patient is confirmed to have mesothelioma, treatment will involve anti-cancer therapies based on the stage and cell type. Treatment will also depend on whether metastasis has occurred and if there is cancer present elsewhere in the body.
Surgery is the best option for patients with early-stage mesothelioma. Doctors often combine mesothelioma treatment with other modalities, such as chemotherapy and radiation, to eradicate any remaining cells. Unfortunately, because of the long latency period of the disease, mesothelioma is often not diagnosed until a later stage has developed.
Asbestosis treatment options for most patients are limited to surgical procedures that promote breathing by draining excess fluid from the chest cavity and lungs. Rarely, in severe cases, advanced asbestosis patients may be eligible for a lung transplant, an option not available for asbestos cancer. Both asbestosis and mesothelioma patients may be prescribed pain medication to reduce breathing discomfort.
Asbestosis patients are also likely to receive breathing treatments with bronchodilators. Asbestosis progression worsens with age, and patients can expect more frequent treatment, such as supplemental oxygen and antibiotics, to control symptoms and prevent infection.
Thank you for your feedback. Would you like to speak with a Patient Advocate? However, as required by the new California Consumer Privacy Act CCPA , you may record your preference to view or remove your personal information by completing the form below. While smoking can cause and make asbestosis worse, there are no studies that show that smoking causes mesothelioma. But smoking can make it more likely to get mesothelioma if you have been exposed to asbestos.
These diseases have many of the same symptoms. But the similarity in symptoms are not always associated with cancer. The most common symptoms of both diseases are: Cancer. Mesothelioma patients have much worse symptoms as the disease gets worse. One of the symptoms that is more specific to asbestosis is clubbing of fingers and nails. This symptom is often the sign of a heart or lung problem. Nails get wider, softer and rounder. This is because the body lacks oxygen.
The scarring from asbestosis makes it hard to breathe, which means there is less oxygen in the blood. Lack of oxygen causes clubbing. Patients who have mesothelioma may have this condition, but it is rare. Asbestosis can cause cardiac problems because the heart and lungs work together. Hypertension and heart disease are common in patients with asbestosis. So, heart problems may be an indicator of asbestosis. Diagnosing both diseases is similar: imaging tests. The first step is either an X-ray or CT scan.
Physicians can see a difference in these scans in your lungs. There may be excessive whiteness on either imaging test result. Different states of each disease will look different on the scans.
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