Definition of Asbestosis

Asbestosis: A condition featuring scarring of the lungs caused by inhaled asbestos fibers. Asbestosis is irreversible. It tends to lead to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a progressive disorder that can be disabling or fatal.

When asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs and penetrate through the intestinal tract, they can also lead to lung cancer or to mesothelioma, a cancer of the mesothelium, the thin lining on the surface of the body cavities and the organs that are contained within them.