Pleura & peritoneum
Pleura nonneoplastic conditions
Asbestos related disorders
Author: Vaidehi Avadhani, M.D.
Last author update: 1 December 2013
Last staff update: 9 January 2020
Copyright: 2003-2020, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Pleura[TIAB] asbestos related disorders
Table of Contents
Definition / generalCite this page: Avadhani V. Asbestos related disorders. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/pleuraasbestosgeneral.html. Accessed April 23rd, 2024.
Definition / general
- Asbestos causes localized fibrous plaques, pleural effusions, parenchymal interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis), bronchogenic carcinoma, mesothelioma, laryngeal carcinoma, possibly colon carcinoma
- Exists in serpentine / chrysotile (curly, flexible) and amphibole (straight, stiff, brittle) forms; most asbestos in industry is serpentine but amphiboles are more pathogenic; link with mesothelioma is almost always with amphibole form
- Chrysotiles usually are caught in upper respiratory passages, removed by mucociliary elevator; they are soluble and leached from tissue if they reach alveoli
- Amphiboles go deeper into lungs; fibers > 8 mm and thinner than 0.5 mm are more injurious
- Both types are fibrogenic; act as tumor initiator and promoter; toxic chemicals such as tobacco smoke may be adsorbed to asbestos fibers; asbestos fibers may also generate reactive free radicals
- However, asbestos bodies are common in normals; present in 40% at autopsy in U.S. in lung smears
- Asbestos may act by countering antioxidant effect of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (Hum Pathol 2003;34:737)
- In pleura, asbestos causes pleural plaques and mesothelioma
- Relative risk (RR) compared to normal population: for bronchogenic carcinoma, RR is 5x, increasing to 55x for asbestos exposure plus tobacco use; for mesothelioma (pleural, pericardial, peritoneal), RR is 1000x, with no change for asbestos plus tobacco use
