Pleural Mesothilioma - the Asbestos Cancer

Pleural mesothilioma, a cancer of the membrane surrounding the chest cavity and the lungs, is an uncommon but very serious type of cancer which is usually caused by exposure to high levels of airborne asbestos dust.  Sometimes as much as 50 years will pass between the exposure and the onset of symptoms.  These symptoms are not unique to pleural Mesothilioma nor are they highly unusual, so often Mesothilioma is not diagnosed until the symptoms become serious and the cancer is quite advanced.

Pleural mesothilioma, like other forms of mesothilioma, is most commonly caused by exposure to high concentrations of asbestos dust.  These exposures often occurred in workplaces, since asbestos was commonly used in industrial applications.  Asbestos dust, if inhaled, will settle into the bottom of the lungs.  Normally the body is able to break up these particles, but rarely, a fiber will work its way out of the lung and into the pleural membrane surrounding the lung.  This fiber over time can cause the cells of the pleural membrane to turn cancerous.

Cancerous cells within the pleural membrane can cause the membrane to secrete excess fluid causing fluid buildup between the membrane and the lungs.  Also be cancerous mass can grow at a tremendous rate to the point that it compresses part of the lung nearest to it which decreases lung capacity.

The symptoms of pleural Mesothilioma include the following:

Chest pain -- this is often caused by excessive fluid or by growth of the cancerous mass that is causing pressure inside the chest.

Shortness of breath -- as above, this can be caused by excessive fluid, or by pressure from the tumor on the pleural membrane.  In later stages of mesothilioma, shortness of breath can be caused by cancerous growth on the lungs.

A dry cough -- while not significant on its own a dry cough in combination with one or more of the other symptoms is cause to mention your symptoms to your doctor.

Other nonspecific symptoms could include unexplained weight loss, fever, and night sweats.  These symptoms are all related to the body's attempt at fighting the cancer.

If you have symptoms that might tend to indicate a possibility of pleural mesothilioma, you should mention the symptoms to your doctor immediately -- especially if you were involved in an industry where asbestos was present sometime in the past.

If your doctor suspects pleural mesothilioma, he will first use x-rays, CAT scans, and possibly MRIs to determine if there is any unusual mass or fluid buildup in your chest cavity.  If he determines this to be the case, the next step would typically be to take a biopsy, or cell sample, of the foreign mass or fluid.  This biopsy can be performed by one of many different methods based on the location of the mass.  These methods range from taking a sample with a needle to opening the chest cavity to retrieve a sample.  Once the surgeon has retrieved a sample of the fluid or tumor, it will be sent to a lab to determine the nature of the mass.

If the mass is determined to be mesothilioma, your doctor will next wish to determine how far along the cancer has progressed by "staging" the cancer.  Depending upon its progression, treatment options could include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and possibly even clinical trials of new treatments or medications.

Once Mesothilioma has progressed beyond its earliest stage, the life expectancy drops significantly.  In these cases the doctor's primary concern is to alleviate the symptoms, often by surgery, and to make the patient as comfortable as possible.  In the case of pleural Mesothilioma in its advanced stages, the cancer is very aggressive and rapidly spreads to other parts of the body, and the prognosis is grim at best.