Mesothelioma can occur in a number of different variations. Pleural mesothelioma is the most commonly diagnosed version of this type of cancer. It originates in the mesothelial cells which are located in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a very thin lining that functions like a membrane in order to connect and protect several organs inside the human body.

Pleural mesothelioma specifically starts in the lining of the lungs, also referred to as pleural membrane or pleura. The pleura is made of two layers. Their purpose it to protect the lungs and the cavity of the chest. The inner lining is called visceral layer and the outer lining is called parietal layer. When pleural mesothelioma starts to develop, it is usually located in only one of the layers, but may later on spread further to the other one and even beyond.

As for basically all other kinds of mesothelioma, the pleural variant is also caused by exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms

As the toxic asbestos particles become lodged inside the pleura, they can cause chronic inflammation which can later on evolve to mesothelioma. In a first phase accumulations of fluid will result in pleural thickening that negatively impacts the regular functionality of the lungs, hence the patient will sooner or later experience difficulties in breathing normally.

Here are the most frequently seen symptoms of pleural mesothelioma:

  • Persistent dry coughing
  • Blood in the sputum
  • Impaired swallowing
  • Difficulties in regular breathing even without increased physical activity
  • Moderate to severe pain in the chest during inhalation
  • Swelling of the chest tissue
  • Rapid Weight Loss
  • Fatigue

Pleural mesothelioma is usually diagnosed based on the patient's history and the symptoms mentioned above. However, in order to verify the diagnosis, further diagnostic procedures need to be completed. Usually, the patient will undergo a series of physical exams, followed by chest x-rays and CT-Scans to specify the exact location of the primary tumor.

After that tissue samples need to be taken and send to a specialized laboratory for further evaluation. This process is called biopsy.

Treatments

Pleural mesothelioma is the most researched variation of all mesothelioma cancers. Therefore, the treatments available are more efficient than the ones for other variations of this cancer. However, none of them can currently put the disease into complete remission. There are three standard treatments that experts use in patients

Surgery: the goal is to cut out the primary tumor and surrounding tissue. This is usually done in combination with chemotherapy and radiation.

Chemotherapy: anti cancer drugs that are administered to destroy the cancer cells.

Radiation: concentrated doses of radiation are targeted and administered to the location of the tumor.