Modern knowledge linking asbestos and a lung disease called asbestosis dates t o 1900. The scarring impairs the elasticity of the lung tissue and hampers its ability to exchange gases. It makes the actual act of breathing difficult. Asbestosis is irreversible and may progress even after exposure to asbestos has ceased. Relatively high doses of exposure are needed before asbestosis is observed, however there is no cure for asbestosis.
Lung cancer is a malignant tumor of the bronchi covering.
Although there are many causes of lung ca ncer, a clear increase in risk has been found among people who work with asbestos. There is no threshold or limit of exposure below which the risk of lung cancer is not increased. The time between exposure to asbestos and the occurrence of lung cancer is 20 - 30 years. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the chest or the lining of the abdominal wall. It is considered to be a marker disease for asbestos exposure because it has no other known cause.