Between 1940 and 1978, over 11 million U.S. workers would breathe in asbestos fibers on a daily basis in the workplace, which are now known to cause plenty of terrible diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. This non-malignant disease, which has a very rapid development and, accordingly, a quite unfavorable prognosis, is responsible for the death of roughly 40,000 Americans every year.
Once they attach themselves to lung tissue, asbestos fibers will gradually produce inflammation and scarring due to their carcinogenic nature, which may ultimately give way to the onset of pulmonary fibrosis. Tragically, half of the people suffering from this disease will not reach a 3-year survival, as they will eventually lose their lives to a related complication, such as respiratory failure. However, receiving treatment in the early phase of the disease can greatly slow down the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.
