Unless proper controls are in place, other building occupants can also be exposed. Asbestosis is NOT a cancer, but it can cause death. The scarring can continue even after exposure to asbestos has stopped. The asbestos fibers are like tiny daggers that get lodged in the air sacs. The body forms scar tissue around the fibers, making it harder to get air into the lungs and for the heart to pump oxygen throughout the body.
Lung cancer is one of the main hazards from breathing asbestos.
When asbestos is swallowed it can cause cancer of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and other digestive organs. The growth of abnormal cells, or tumors, can either stay in one place or spread to other parts of the body. Cancer also has a latency period, which is the time from when exposure starts until the cancer develops. It can take decades for cancer to develop. Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly cancer.