Diseases Caused by Asbestos

Czech version

Authors: J. Vejlupková; J. Lebedová
Authors‘ workplace: Klinika nemocí z povolání 1. LF UK a VFN, Praha
Published in: Prakt. Lék. 2000; (8): 441-446
Category:

Overview

The paper is a continuation of the communication published in this journal entitled How ManUsed Asbestos from Ancient Times to the End of the 20th Century. It summarizes contemporaryknowledge of the noxious effect of various types of asbestos on the human organism. Non-tu-morous diseases caused by asbestos include asbestosis (interstitial diffuse fibrosis affecting inparticular the lower pulmonary lobes), benign pleural exudate, frequently relapsing, hyalinosisof the parietal pleura, diffuse pleural thickening (pachypleuritis), foci of atelectasis and benignnodules in the pulmonary parenchyma. As to tumourous diseases bronchogenic carcinomawhich is many times more frequent in smokers exposed to the risk of asbestos than innon-smokers with the same risk and malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum.In relation to asbestos also some tumours of the digestive system are mentioned and carcinomaof the larynx. The most effective carcinogen is crocidolite, but all used types of asbestos arecarcinogens.

Key words:
asbestos - asbestos-related disorders.

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