ABSTRACT
Asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems. If inhaled, they can cause diseases that disrupt the normal functioning of the lungs. Three specific diseases—asbestosis (a fibrous scarring of the lungs), lung cancer, and mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal cavity)—have been linked to asbestos exposure. These diseases do not develop immediately after inhalation of asbestos fibers; it may be 20 years or more before symptoms appear.
