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Pleural Mesothelioma Information

Pleural Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Lung Lining

Pleural Mesothelioma, pleura mesothelioma or malignant pleural mesothelioma is mesothelioma cancer in the lining of the lungs. This is different from lung cancer, which refers to any type of malignant tumor that originates in the lungs.

The pleura, is the tissues lining or covering that surrounds the lungs.

There are 2 pleura. These can be called pleural membranes. The gap between them is called the pleural space. The pleura are fibrous sheets. They help to protect the lungs. They produce a lubricating fluid that fills the gap between the 2 pleura. This helps the lungs to move smoothly in the chest when they are inflating and deflating as we breathe.

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma accounting for 80-90% of mesothelioma cases.


Clinical presentation of pleural mesothelioma

In general, the clinical presentation of pleural mesothelioma may include the following:

Management of pleural mesothelioma depends largely on the staging of the tumor. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention may lengthen life expectancy. Depending on the age and physical condition of the patient, however, surgery may not be a viable option. In addition to surgical options, radiation treatment and chemotherapy may be helpful in the overall therapeutic programfor treating pleural mesothelioma. Pain management and home care are typical alternatives in the later stages of pleural mesothelioma.

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Pleural Mesothelioma

There are two types of Pleural Mesothelioma: Cancerous and non-cancerous.

Benign mesothelioma many times can be surgically removed and is generally not life threatening or a result of asbestos exposure. Malignant mesothelioma is very serious, though. The infliction is quite rare and less than three thousand people in the US get it each year.

The following section is about malignant pleural mesothelioma:

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that affects the skin or inner lining (known medically as the pleura) outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs. This is caused ONLY by exposure to asbestos fibers found in products made mostly by US corporations. The exposure could have occurred many, many years ago because it takes many years for the disease to show up. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma and chances are that if you have mesothelioma, this is the type you have.

Often Mesothelioma is diagnosed when no symptoms are present. This could be because a tumor is present or is randomly discovered through something like a routine exam. When these symptoms do occur, they can include shortness of breath, weight loss, chest pains, pains about the lower back, chronic cough, difficulty swallowing, and severe weakness. In the initial examination a medical examination will often show a pleural effusion, which is a bunch of fluid in the area between the lungs and the wall of the chest.

Pleural EffusionA chest x-ray or CT scan is the necessary first step in identifying mesothelioma, which is followed up with what is called a bronchoscopy. A bronchoscopy requires a viewing scope to look inside the lungs. The diagnosis itself requires a biopsy which allows the medical professionals to take a little piece of tissue from the area in question. This can be done using a tiny needle, an open cut, or even these days through a tube with a camera on the end of it. This is a procedure that must happen at the hospital, but it is not a painful procedure typically.

Any fluid build-up from the pleural effusion can generally be viewed via the x-ray and can be heard through the dr.’s stethoscope during examination. The only firm diagnosis of mesothelioma can be made through the biopsy described earlier. Because other things like tumors and benign effusions can look like mesothelioma, a biopsy is the only safe way to tell as a diagnosis of mesothelioma can be one of the most difficult in the book.

As the tumor spreads over the lining between the lungs and the chest, flexibility can be increasingly painful and restricted. Because of this, breathing becomes much more difficult. It begins with shortness of breath potentially while exercising but as function continues to drop short breath can become more and more of a persistent problem.

Although there is no cure for pleural mesothelioma, the treatment options have improved for managing symptoms. As with any cancer, the prognosis is better for those diagnosed early, and treatment can be more aggressive. Most pleural mesothelioma patients are treated with a multimodal therapy, or combination of treatment options. It is possible for patients with pleural mesothelioma to live for 5 to 10 years after diagnosis, although the average survival time is about a year.

Specific types of treatment include:

Experimental treatments such as gene therapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, immunotherapy, and many clinical trials are also in the development stages.

Although mesothelioma remains uncurable, many other treatments have had success in pain reduction and improving lung function. Surgeries to remove tumors and reduce pressure have shown promise in pain reduction, and pain control medications are constantly improving. In some cases, X-ray therapy has been shown to control tumor pain as well.

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Frequently asked question

What is Mesothelioma?
What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma?
What are the different tyes of Mesothelioma?
Who is at risk for a malignant Mesothelioma?
What are some of the occupations most at risk for asbestos exposure?
What are the types of materials / products containing asbestos?
What are the types of treatment?

What is Mesothelioma?

It is a rare cancer that has been conclusively linked to asbestos exposure. The latent period between exposure and the onset of symptoms can be 20-40 years. Men are mostly affected by Mesothelioma. Women can be affected either directly or indirectly. Symptoms usually begin to appear later in life.

What are the symptoms of Mesothelioma?

The onset of mesothelioma symptoms is usually very slow, and may not appear until 20 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos.

What are the different tyes of Mesothelioma?

Pleural Mesothelioma is a concer that affects the pleura, or lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs. This is believed to be caused by inhalation of asbestos containing materials. Most cases are pleural in nature.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a cancer of the membrane surrounding the abdomen infiltrating the liver, spleen or bowel. Due to fluid accumulation in the abdomen, the abdomen appears enlarged. Patients have nausea, vomiting, swelling of feet, and difficulty in moving their bowels.

Who is at risk for a malignant Mesothelioma?

Asbestos workers and people exposed to asbestos.

The Environmental Protection Agency has figures to show that as many as 733,000 schools and public buildings in the country today contain asbestos insulation.

People whose work may be a risk are some miners, factory workers, insulation manufactures, railroad workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers and construction workers.

What are some of the occupations most at risk for asbestos exposure? What are the types of materials / products containing asbestos?

The following is a general list provided by the Environmental Protection Agency intended to show the types of materials containing asbestos. It does not include all products containing asbestos.

What are the types of treatment?

While there is currently no known cure for malignant mesothelioma, treatments are available with the most common being surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Your doctor will recommend one treatment or a combination of therapies that are best for your situation.

Surgery is a common treatment of malignant Mesothelioma. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung may be removed. Sometimes part of the diaphragm will be removed.

Chemothereapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. It can be taken by pill or put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

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