Mesothelioma

How smoking affects asbestosis

Asbestosis and mesothelioma are two different diseases. Asbestosis occurs when a person is exposed to asbestos material in the work place or in the home for an extended period of time. The prolonged exposure to this material causes scarring in the lung tissue which can further lead to breathing difficulties. The patient must remember that asbestosis is not considered mesothelioma. It can lead to, however, the development of mesothelioma symptoms if not diagnosed and treated properly. Once this disease is found by doctors, it is difficult to treat and eliminate it because of its growth capacity into other forms of lung diseases and cancer.

If an individual has been exposed to asbestos material, there are certain ways in which these cancers may be averted. Most importantly, asbestos use in new homes and office buildings has come to a halt because of the risks. If a person is exposed through their job site, however, he or she must be informed by his or her employer due to federal and state regulations. It is the employee's choice to determine whether or not he or she feels comfortable in an environment that contains the material.

Another important way to lower the risk of contracting asbestosis is to stop smoking completely. Smoking does not cause this type of disease, but it can increase the risk. Smoking, especially combined with alcohol or any other drug use, is a serious threat to the patient's health. Asbestosis is not caused by smoking, but smoking speeds up the process of developing health complications. The amount smoked and the length of time a person has been smoking contributes to whether or not he or she may contract lung related illnesses. Therefore, patients who smoked for a long period of time (especially those who started when they were young) have a higher chance of contracting lung cancer and other types of illnesses. Different cancer locations (lung, esophagus, and oral cavity) depend on which type of tobacco product was used.

By giving up the smoking habit, an asbestosis patient is able to increase his or her life expectancy and can be treated in a prompt fashion, with fewer complications. Some individuals who have been exposed to asbestos and are non-smokers still have the risk of developing a type of lung cancer if they are around those who smoke heavily. Passive smoking, however, is twenty to thirty times less the risk of developing cancer than for those who are heavy smokers. It is important for these non-smokers to be tested especially if they believe they have been infected with asbestos at any point in their lives. Just because a person does not smoke, does not mean they are safe from the repercussions that may follow from asbestos inhalation and second-hand smoke.

Last modified: December 09 2009.