Asbestosis vs Mesothelioma

Asbestosis is scarring inside the lung tissue itself. Fibers lodged deep in the small air sacs cause inflammation that gradually becomes scar tissue, making the lungs stiff. Mesothelioma, by contrast, is a cancer that starts in the thin lining around the lungs, the abdomen or, rarely, the heart. One is a scarring disease of the lung, the other a malignant tumor of the lining. They can appear in the same person, because both reflect significant exposure, but one does not turn into the other. Doctors sometimes find signs of both conditions in the same set of scans.

Asbestosis typically causes slowly worsening breathlessness and a dry cough, and doctors may hear crackles when listening to the lungs. Scans show scarring patterns, often in the lower lungs, and breathing tests reveal reduced lung capacity. Mesothelioma more often causes fluid around the lung, one-sided chest pain and weight loss, with scans showing thickening of the lining. Asbestosis is usually diagnosed from history, imaging and breathing tests, while mesothelioma requires tissue or cell testing to confirm a cancer. Both conditions can cause breathlessness, so symptoms alone rarely separate them. Doctors rely on the combination of tests to tell which is present.

Asbestosis has no cure, and care focuses on protecting remaining lung function with oxygen when needed, pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccines and avoiding smoke. Mesothelioma is treated as a cancer with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation. Legal and trust fund claims also treat the diseases separately, with different medical criteria and typically different values. A person with one disease who is later diagnosed with the other may have separate considerations. Clear medical records stating each diagnosis make this much easier to sort out. Pleural plaques, lung cancer and other asbestos conditions are also handled separately, so each diagnosis should be recorded clearly.

1. 1

   Ask your doctor to confirm in writing which asbestos-related diagnoses appear in your records.

2. 2

   Request breathing test results if asbestosis has been mentioned as a possibility.

3. 3

   Report any new chest pain or fluid symptoms even if you already have an asbestosis diagnosis.

4. 4

   Keep diagnosis dates for each condition, since they may matter separately for claims.