Surgical and pathologic aspects of asbestosis

We studied 12 patients with occupational exposure to asbestos to evaluate the pulmonary diseases that result from protracted exposure to this fibrogenic and oncogenic fiber. The spectrum of diseases includes diffuse interstitial fibrosis, bronchogenic carcinoma, and malignant mesothelioma. Cigarette smoking is found to be a cocarcinogen with asbestos. Because of the impairment of pulmonary function in these patients, surgery plays a limited role in their management.