Respiratory Diseases

Noncancerous (benign) tumors may occur throughout the respiratory system. Although benign tumors are less serious than malignant ones, they can still cause serious obstructions of the airways and other complications. They may later become malignant.

Different types of drugs like heroin can cause edema (lung fluid). Anticancer drugs can cause pulmonary fibrosis (scar tissue), which will interfere with breathing. There are also children's diseases like cystic fibrosis, which affects secretion by the glands and results in pulmonary disorders along with other complications. Whooping cough (pertussis), which may lead to pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome in newborns, especially premature ones, is another example of a children's disease.

Structural disorders may occur after changes in the shape of respiratory organs take place, following diseases such as pneumonia or tuberculosis or from hereditary causes. There are also a number of diseases caused by the inhalation of dust products from coal mining (black lung disease), sandblasting (silicosis), and manufacturing (asbestosis and berylliosis). These diseases are classified as pneumoconioses. The respiratory tract can also be affected by many diseases in other organs or systems of the body such as the heart, kidneys, and immune system.