Asbestos diseases are mainly caused by asbestos fibers that enter the body through breathing. Most of these asbestos fibers are removed by the body, but some of them get trapped in the cells and tissues causing deadly asbestos diseases that surface many years after the initial exposure. Asbestos diseases include asbestosis, pleural plaques, lung cancer and mesothelioma
   
Asbestosis
                       Asbestosis one of the common asbestos diseases is non-cancerous in nature. Asbestos is prolong and chronic disease of lungs that happens because of the asbestos exposure over a considerable period of time. The inhaled asbestos fibers that remain and get accumulated in the lungs effects the normal functioning of lungs. These asbestos fibers cause inflammation and irritation in the lungs prompting the body’s defense mechanism to defend it from these foreign particles.Many or all of these defensive actions tend to further aggravate the inflammation causing more tissue damage. Ultimately leading to fibrosis or scarring of the tissues surrounding the air passages and air sacs. These scarred tissues obstruct the free flow of air into and out of the lungs resulting in shortness of breath. The main symptoms of asbestosis are breathlessness and coughing, but it may exist unnoticed over a long period of time. As asbestosis is a progressive asbestos disease, it continues to expand even when the asbestos exposure has ended. Asbestosis can be detected by CT-scans and X-rays. Pulmonary function test and biopsy are also used to decisively determine the existence of asbestosis

  
 Pleural Plaques
                         The tissue that lines the cavity of the chest and surrounds the lungs is known as Pleura. Asbestos fibers when enter pleura they cause thick patches or pleural plaques and can also cause accumulation of fluids in the chest cavity or pleural effusions. Though this asbestos disease is not cancerous, it can decrease the capacity of lungs which can be determined by taking a lung function test.
    
Lung Cancer
                           People with history of asbestos exposure over a longer time period have more chances of developing lung cancer. This asbestos disease is aggravated even more in people with previous asbestos exposure who also smoke. Asbestos lung cancer disease affects the bronchi lining, windpipe, bronchioles and alveoli among the other parts of lungs.Lung cancer is difficult to detect in early stages and it usually takes about 15-30 years for this asbestos disease to fully develop after the asbestos exposure. Lung cancer can be detected by chest X-ray,chest CT-scan, lung biopsy and lung autopsy.
   
Mesothelioma
                        The rare type of cancer that is almost always associated with past asbestos exposure is most dangerous of all the asbestos diseases and is fatal. Cancerous or malignant mesothelioma is more common than non-cancerous or benign mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is classified into three categories: epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic/mixed. Epithelioid mesothelioma is most common of the three types and found to occur in about 50-70% of the cases detected with mesothelioma.Chances of surviving from this type of cancer are better than the other two types. Epithelioid usually affects the skin membrane that covers the internal organs and surfaces of the body. Sarcomatoid affects the supporting tissues such as cartilage, muscles and bones. Mixed or biphasic affects both.
    People who have been exposed to asbestos in the past are always advised by medical experts to go through medical tests regularly.