The Facts
Asbestosis is a harmful lung condition that develops in workers who, over the years, have breathed in large amounts of asbestos dust from industrial materials. When someone inhales the dust, the microscopic asbestos fibers settle in the lungs, where they may cause scars and make breathing increasingly difficult.
One of the unusual things about asbestosis is the long "lag-time" between asbestos exposure and the resulting illness - a year of exposure in youth may not cause symptoms until 30 years later. Once someone develops asbestosis, however, there is no cure. Breathing problems will get steadily worse, and in about 15% of people, severe shortness of breath and respiratory failure develop. For someone who smokes and has had asbestos exposure, there is a greatly increased chance of developing lung cancer. Symptoms may appear within ten years of the initial exposure.