What is asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers, leading to the progressive scarring of lung tissue. This fibrotic scarring occurs as the body attempts to repair the damage inflicted by these fibers, resulting in decreased lung function and respiratory symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent cough, and in severe cases, respiratory failure.

The condition highlights the harmful effects of asbestos exposure over time, distinguishing it as a non-cancerous, yet serious, occupational lung disease. This makes the correct identification of asbestosis as fibrotic scarring significant in terms of understanding the long-term consequences of asbestos exposure.

In contrast, a cancerous growth in lung tissue refers to diseases like lung cancer, which is different from the fibrosis characteristic of asbestosis. A type of lung infection would typically involve pathogens and is not related to the chronic exposure effects that lead to asbestosis. Finally, a benign tumor located in the pleura describes conditions such as pleural specific tumors, which are also distinct and not indicative of the fibrotic changes and symptoms associated with asbestosis.