There are many illnesses associated with exposure to the carcinogen asbestos, and asbestos diseases can be serious as well as deadly. Asbestos diseases include:

• Mesothelioma
• Asbestosis
• Lung cancer
• Laryngeal cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening
• Pleural effusion

Mesothelioma is one of the most serious asbestos diseases. It is a form of cancer that occurs in the lining of the lungs and at this time, the only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma can take up to a half a century to develop. In essence, a person can be exposed to asbestos as a young person and then not develop mesothelioma until he or she is a much older individual. Of the asbestos diseases, mesothelioma is very aggressive and death can occur in a very short amount of time after diagnosis.

When a person inhales asbestos fibers, these fibers can lodge in the lungs and cause inflammation or penetration of surrounding organs and tissues. Mesothelioma causes between 2,000 and 3,000 deaths per year in the United States.

There are many types of mesothelioma including pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma.

Another one of the asbestos diseases is asbestosis. Asbestosis is the scarring and thickening of the lung tissue after a patient is exposed to asbestos dust. When these scars continue to grow, oxygen transfer and absorption is limited. This condition leads to difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, phlegm and lung infections.

Asbestosis causes the total volume of the lungs to be reduced and it puts a lot of strain on the heart itself. Often, asbestosis does not present until one or two decades after exposure and many times leads to heart failure.

It is a progressive condition and there is no known treatment for asbestosis. Asbestosis led to more deaths between 1999 and 2001 than asbestos-induced gastrointestinal cancer did during the same time.

Lung cancer is another condition that has been closely associated with asbestos exposure. When asbestos fibers enter the lungs, they can lead to cancer. Those who smoke and who have been exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of lung cancer.

Ovarian cancer is also one of the asbestos diseases linked with asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers have been found in cancerous ovaries and have been thought to travel there via the bloodstream or lymph system.

Pleural effusions are fluid buildups between the pleural layers of the lungs. This can signify late-stage mesothelioma and can be caused by asbestos exposure. Pleural plaques are calcified buildups on the pleura. While not considered life threatening, both of these conditions can be painful and bring complications.

Litigation over Asbestos Diseases

Many instances of asbestos diseases could have been avoided if a manufacturer, employer, or other responsible party had taken proper steps to avoid causing asbestos exposure. If you have suffered from one of these asbestos diseases, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced asbestos attorney.