Workers’ Legacy of Health Fears

PLEURAL plaques are a scarring of the lung lining caused by exposure to asbestos.

Once a person has been diagnosed with the condition they often suffer anxiety over whether they will develop a fatal asbestos- related illness in the future, such as mesothelioma.

Although rare, symptoms can cause breathlessness or pain.

Sufferers require regular check-ups and chest scans.

The plaques are visible on chest X-rays and usually develop in the region of 10-20 years after exposure. They are about the size and thickness of a holly leaf. When they become coated in a layer of calcium, they are then referred to as calcified pleural plaques.

By themselves, they are benign and cannot develop into cancer but some studies have suggested that people with pleural plaques are at greater risk of lung cancer.

It is thought that about a third to one half of those occupationally exposed to asbestos will have calcified pleural plaques 30 years after first exposure. It is unclear why not all asbestos- exposed workers develop the condition.

(c) 2008 The Journal – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.