Which condition is primarily a fibrotic scarring of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure?

• A. Asbestosis
• B. Mesothelioma
• C. Lung cancer
• D. Pleural effusion

Answer: (A)

Asbestosis is a fibrotic interstitial lung disease caused by asbestos exposure. Inhaled asbestos fibers persist in the lung and trigger chronic inflammation, activating macrophages and fibroblasts that lay down collagen, leading to scarring of the alveolar walls. This fibrosis makes the lungs stiff and impairs gas exchange, typically presenting with progressive shortness of breath and a dry cough. Imaging often shows diffuse interstitial markings, usually more pronounced at the lung bases, and advanced disease can exhibit honeycombing from long-standing fibrosis.

Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the pleural lining, linked to asbestos but not characterized by fibrotic scarring of the lung tissue. Lung cancer can also be associated with asbestos exposure, but it is a malignant growth rather than fibrotic scarring. Pleural effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, which can occur with asbestos exposure but does not describe fibrosis of the lung tissue.