In addition to impairing lung function, asbestosis can increase your risk of a rare cancer of the lining of the lung called mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma may develop 20 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos fibers and can occur even if you were exposed only for 1 or 2 years or less. Some people with mesothelioma have no history of exposure to asbestos.
Lawyers in San DiegoSigns and symptoms include significant chest pain, shortness of breath and weight loss. In about half of those with mesothelioma, the disease spreads, producing tumors in other parts of the body. In other cases, the tumors are limited to the chest. Accumulation of fluid between the two layers of the pleural membrane (pleural effusion) often contributes to shortness of breath and chest pain.
The chance of recovery depends on the size and location of the cancer, whether and how far it has spread and how it responds to treatment. Mesothelioma is usually treated with surgery to remove the cancer, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or some combination of these therapies.
