Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms Diagnosis Cancer

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms Diagnosis Cancer

Pleural mesothelioma is one of the four types of mesothelioma and is responsible for 75 percent of diagnoses of illnesses related to exposure to asbestos. The disease develops in the pleura, the protective membrane of the lungs that can be directly attributed to a strong or consistent occupational exposure or inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Once these fibers are inhaled, they migrate directly to the pleural membrane, where they are housed. The body of the person exposed to asbestos has difficulties to get rid of the fibres that look like needles. With the passing of the years, fibers that are hosted are irritating the pleural and as a result this causes irritation and chronic scarring that in some cases can cause pleural mesothelioma. In the case of this type of cancer, asbestos directly enters the pleural cells. If these cells are cancerous, they multiply uncontrollably and form tumors.

The life expectancy of a patient who suffers from this disease is between 4 to 18 months and 80 percent of people who contract pleural mesothelioma are elderly men who have had exposure to asbestos in their work and with a certain period of time in which the disease soon appear. The first symptoms that a patient is coughing and breathing short. This is mainly caused by the reduced capacity of the lungs and the retention of fluid at the sides of the pleura.

Anatomy and function of the Pleura

Lung mesothelioma Pleural vs healthy lung
The pleura lining is composed of two layers that provide protection and support to the lungs and other vital structures such as the chest. In addition it produces fluid lubricants for the cavity between the two layers and thus to help the expansion and contraction of the lungs when we breathe. The outer layer is the parietal pleura and skirting the thoracic cavity, while the inner layer also known as the visceral layer covers the lungs.

It is not huge that the two layers of the pleura are affected by cancer. Pleural mesothelioma usually develops in a layer of the pleura and rapidly invades nearby towns such as the diaphragm, you seem them to the chest or lung. If cancer reaches lymph nodes, it can metastasize or spread to different parts of the body.