Among the various diseases caused by environmental exposure to different substances, exposure to asbestos is certainly of great importance: a substance that has (unfortunately) made the headlines for several decades (at least since 1981, when about 80 workers brought a case against the Eternit factory and against Inail to have the damage caused by the mineral recognised).
In this article we look at which diseases exposure to asbestos can cause and what they involve.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material derived from silicates. It was long used both in construction and in the production of textiles, before its high carcinogenicity was discovered. Inhaling asbestos fibres causes lung cancer, cancer of the pleura (mesothelioma), asbestosis, pleural effusions and thickening of the pleura.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a disease caused by asbestos that is more frequent than cancer. It results from inhaling toxic and irritant substances and causes interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, that is, the replacement of normal, functioning tissue with fibrous tissue, which is harder and non-functional, and is found, for example, in scars. This happens because when a toxic and irritant substance is inhaled, the immune cells in the lungs try to fight and eliminate it, increasing inflammation and oxidative damage and thereby causing the deposition of new tissue, which is first collagen and then fibrotic tissue.
