Asbestos Summary Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals with long, thin fibers. It was once used widely as insulation. It also occurs in the environment. Asbestos fibers are so small you can’t see them. If you disturb asbestos, the fibers can float in the air. This makes them easy to inhale, and some may become lodged in the lungs. If you breathe in high levels of asbestos over a long period of time, the fibers can build up in the lungs. This causes scarring and inflammation, and can affect breathing. Eventually it can lead to diseases such as Asbestosis, or scarring of the lungs that makes it hard to breathe Mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects the lining of the lungs or abdomen Lung cancer Lung diseases associated with asbestos usually develop over many years. People who become ill from asbestos are usually exposed on the job over long periods of time. Smoking cigarettes increases the risk. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry National Cancer Institute Start Here Asbestos Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Asbestos American Lung Association Asbestos Information Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Safety and Health Topics: Asbestos Occupational Safety and Health Administration Specifics Asbestos and Cancer Risk American Cancer Society Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk National Cancer Institute Asbestosis Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research What Are Asbestos-Related Lung Diseases? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Images Asbestos Photos Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Related Issues Asbestos: Protect Your Family Environmental Protection Agency Talc Food and Drug Administration Tox Town National Library of Medicine Array Asbestosis Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Asbestosis National Institutes of Health Find an Expert Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational Safety and Health Administration Treatments and Therapies How Are Asbestos-Related Lung Diseases Treated? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Journal Articles Asbestos Statistics and Research TOXMAP National Library of Medicine Symptoms What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asbestos-Related Lung Diseases? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
