Pulmonary Disorders Chapter 75. Physical properties include the state of the inhaled agent. An inhaled particle may be deposited and retained in the lungs. If soluble, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Usually, the body's defenses eventually remove insoluble particles and mists.
Susceptibility varies from person to person.
Immunologic status also affects susceptibility. The smaller asbestos fibers have the greatest penetrability and are most likely to migrate to the pleura and cause benign plaques or malignant mesotheliomas. Deposition of particles in the trachea and bronchi may induce three responses. Lung cancer may result from deposition of asbestos fibers or dusts with adsorbed radon daughters. Inorganic particles may cause a fibrotic response that is focal and nodular, as in typical silicosis, or diffuse and generalized, as in asbestosis and berylliosis.