Asbestosis

Asbestosis is scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The scarring builds up in the walls of the air sacs over years, stiffens the lungs, and makes breathing progressively harder. It is not a cancer, but it is permanent, it can worsen after exposure ends, and it raises the risk of lung cancer.

Origin

Asbestos-related lung disease was described in English textile workers in the early 1900s. The name "pulmonary asbestosis" was given by the British pathologist W.E. Cooke in 1927, after his studies of Nellie Kershaw, a Rochdale asbestos spinner who died in 1924. The disease was recognized for workers' compensation in Britain in 1931 and in many U.S. states in the 1930s.

Significance in Asbestos Context

Asbestosis is dose-related: it usually follows heavy or prolonged exposure, such as years of insulation, textile, shipyard or mill work, and it typically appears 15 to 30 or more years after exposure began. Doctors diagnose it from the exposure history, a chest X-ray or high-resolution CT showing scarring in the lower lungs, and breathing tests showing a restrictive pattern and reduced gas transfer (DLCO). On an ILO B-read, a profusion score of 1/0 or higher is the usual threshold, and many asbestos trusts use 1/0 for their asbestosis levels and 2/1 for severe asbestosis. Pathologists confirm it in tissue by finding interstitial fibrosis together with asbestos bodies. For a claim, asbestosis matters in two ways: it is compensable on its own, and evidence of it (or of pleural disease) is what most trusts require before they will pay a lung cancer or other cancer claim.

Example Sentence

His B-read came back 1/1 with irregular opacities in both lower lung zones, and his breathing tests showed a restrictive pattern, which together supported a diagnosis of asbestosis.

Related Terms

Pneumoconiosis, Interstitial Fibrosis, B-Read, ILO Classification, Restrictive Lung Disease, Diffusing Capacity (DLCO), Asbestos Bodies, CAP/Roggli Histologic Criterion, Asbestosis guide

Notes

• Keep every chest X-ray, CT scan and breathing test, with the reports. Changes over time are strong evidence.
• Ask whether your films have been read by a NIOSH-certified B-reader; trusts and courts rely on B-reads.
• Asbestosis increases lung cancer risk, especially in smokers. Ask your doctor about lung cancer screening.
• A claim for asbestosis does not usually prevent a later claim if a cancer develops (see Separate Disease Rule), but ask your lawyer how your state handles it.