The asbestos fibers irritate and scar lung tissue causing the lungs to become stiff this makes it difficult to breathe as asbestosis progresses more and more lung tissue becomes scarred eventually your lung tissue becomes so stiff that it cant contract and expand normally. When asbestos fibers are inhaled they can cause inflammation and scarring of lung tissues prolonged exposure to these fibers may cause the condition asbestosis one of over 200 types of pulmonary fibrosis which is also classified as an interstitial lung disease you may hear your condition referred to by any of these names. Asbestosis is a lung disease that develops when asbestos fibers cause scarring in your lungs learn causes symptoms and treatments. Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers the asbestos fibers lodge in the lung tissue causing scarring over time although asbestosis is not a type of cancer it has symptoms similar to mesothelioma including shortness of breath and a dry cough