Cigarette smoking aggravates asbestos-related illnesses, including the various types of mesothelioma. Lungs already injured and scarred by asbestos fibers are only further taxed by cigarette smoking.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should talk to your doctor about the importance of quitting smoking. Smoking may interfere with your treatment, and it will hinder your body’s ability to fight infection and mesothelioma.
Smoking does not cause mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is the number one cause of the disease; however, smoking can make your lungs more susceptible to damage and the development of mesothelioma.
For smokers who have also been exposed to asbestos, the risk of asbestos-related lung cancer is drastically increased. Smoking also aggravates asbestosis, a lung disease that leads to scar tissue on your lungs.
If you ever worked with asbestos or have reason to believe you were exposed to asbestos elsewhere, you should not smoke. When you see your doctor, be sure to inform him or her that you have a history of smoking and may have been exposed to asbestos.
If asbestos exposure led to your diagnosis of mesothelioma, please contact the Law Office of Brown | Kiely, LLP to schedule a free case evaluation. We represent people with mesothelioma in Baltimore and across Maryland, in Washington, DC, and nationwide.
