MEDICAL AND PUBLIC-HEALTH APPROACHES TO ASBESTOS DISEASE

Asbestos is known to cause a wide range of nonmalignant and malignant disease among occupationally and environmentally exposed individuals. Lung cancer and mesothelioma are of special importance. X-rays are eva luated utilizing the ILO classification, and the clinical signs and sy mptoms of many chronic lung diseases may occur. The fibrous nature of asbestos appears to be important, and fiber size plays a role in carci nogenic outcome. Because of the significant legal and public health im plications of exposure, it appears that purposeful obfuscation of asbe stos science has taken place. There are also worldwide efforts to shif t patterns of use and manufacturing, leading to a wider dissemination of death and disease, especially when coupled with spreading tobacco u sage.