Fact: Cigarette Smoking and Mesothelioma Risks, Continued

Changes in the lining of the lungs (pleura) such as thickening, plaques, calcification, and fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion) may be early signs of asbestos exposure and the risk for mesothelioma. Smoking heightens this risk.

These changes can affect breathing more than previously thought. Pleural effusion can be an early warning sign for mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs).

Most cases of asbestosis or lung cancer in workers occurred 15 years or more after the person was first exposed to asbestos.

Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after the first exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma has been diagnosed in asbestos workers, family members, and residents who live close to asbestos mines.

Health effects from asbestos exposure may continue to progress even after exposure is stopped.

Smoking or cigarette smoke, together with exposure to asbestos, greatly increases the likelihood of lung cancer. See Cigarette Smoking, Asbestos Exposure, and your Health.