What is the prognosis (outlook) for people with asbestosis?

What is the prognosis (outlook) for people with asbestosis?

Asbestosis can’t be cured. You can’t reverse the damage from the disease. Once you breathe in asbestos fibers, they stay in your body. Your prognosis varies depending on how long and how much exposure you had to the particles.

Many people with mild asbestosis live fulfilling lives for many years after being diagnosed, but some cases get worse over time. You may need medical management throughout your life.

Your healthcare provider is likely to order chest X-rays and lung function tests every few years to look for changes in the scarring in your lungs. The findings on your imaging tests will change as the stages of your condition progress.

You should stay current with vaccines, especially the pneumococcal vaccine and the influenza vaccine. Also, ask your healthcare provider about vaccination for COVID-19 infection.