Pleural Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma of the Pleura

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, accounting for more than 75 % of all diagnosed cases of the rare asbestos disease. Pleural mesothelioma affects the mesothelial tissue lining of the lung cavity, or pleura and is often referred to as mesothelioma of the pleura.

The only known cause of pleural mesothelioma is exposure to a metamorphic mineral group called asbestos. Because of the cancer's close proximity to the lungs, it is often confused with asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis, two asbestos diseases that affect the lung tissue itself.

Pleural mesothelioma is one of three types of malignant mesothelioma, the other two of which include peritoneal mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the peritoneum) and pericardial mesothelioma (mesothelioma of the pericardium).

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

The most common presenting symptom associated with the development of pleural mesothelioma is localized chest pain. The chronic chest pain results from a buildup of fluid within the pleural space (pleural effusion) and can be relieved through chest drainage (thoracentesis).

In addition to pleural effusion, pleural mesothelioma sufferers can present with a variety of symptoms, some of which include:

Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The development of pleural mesothelioma symptoms typically serves as the first step towards diagnosing a case of the asbestos cancer. The diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma can prove to be extremely difficult because of the latent nature of the disease. A case of pleural mesothelioma can take anywhere from 30- to 40-years to fully develop and become symptomatic after exposure to asbestos.

In order to obtain a definitive pleural mesothelioma diagnosis, a diagnostic surgery called a biopsy must be performed in order to excise a small section of affected tissue for histological examination by a histopathologist. A histopathologist can type and stage a case of pleural mesothelioma in addition to recommending treatment options.

Histopathologists can type a case of pleural mesothelioma cancer in accordance with one of three histological classifications: epithelioid mesothelioma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma or biphasic mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma Treatments

There are a variety of treatment modalities that are used in effort to combat pleural mesothelioma cancer; unfortunately, none have proven effective. Traditional pleural mesothelioma treatments incorporate modalities commonly used in the treatment of most cancers (surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy). As these traditional modalities have proven incapable of eradicating the fatal asbestos cancer, researchers are continually working to develop new pleural mesothelioma treatments with the hope that they will serve as a more effective measure. New pleural mesothelioma treatments include photodynamic therapy (PDT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), immunotherapy, gene therapy and the development of new chemotherapy drugs.

Although curative mesothelioma treatments have thus far proven ineffective in combating the virulent asbestos cancer, specialists have experienced a great deal of success in providing palliative treatments designed to spell relief from debilitating/chronic mesothelioma symptoms.

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