Pleural Mesothelioma:

Exposure to asbestos through job related duties or in a particular environment is a primary cause of mesothelioma. In pleural mesothelioma asbestos particles are directly inhaled into lungs and pleural region. Once these fibers have entered the lungs, they work their way to the pleural membrane. Inhaling asbestos causes a build-up of fibers inside the lungs, and due to the microscopic size and sharpness of the fibers it is possible for them to penetrate the walls of the lung and enter the pleural cavity.

Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and chest cavity known as the pleura. The pleura is made up of the parietal and visceral pleura. The parietal pleura lines the chest wall and diaphragm while the visceral pleura lines the lungs.

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Fluid between these two membranes allows asbestos particles to slip against one another as the lungs expand and contract. Once there the body finds it difficult to dislodge the asbestos particles through normal body mechanisms. As a result they remain there for a very long time. When asbestos fibers settle in the pleura, they cause inflammation which leads to development of malignant cancer.

After such a long latency period they start interfering with the mesothelial cells in the pleural region and cause changes in the pleural cells. As a result of this interference the normal functioning of the mesothelial cells is disrupted and they start growing in an uncontrolled manner. This uncontrolled growth leads to the thickening of the pleural walls and building up of fluid in the pleural area. Eventually the formation of cancerous tissues (tumors) takes place. Asbestos fibers cause changes in these pleural cells, which may cause scarring of the lungs and, eventually, the formation of tumors. When this happens, the patient feels distorting pain & shortness of breath. Also, if pleural mesothelioma develops into advanced stages, it can spread to nearby organs such as the heart, lymph nodes and abdomen.

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma and affects the section of the mesothelium called the pleura. This is where the cancer affects the lungs and the protective lining and cavity of the lungs. The disease can grow quickly and enlarge the pleural space, causing it to fill with fluid. This fluid leads to the discomfort or pain associated with first detection of the disease. It is thought that pleural mesothelioma is caused by the inhaling of fibrous materials, including asbestos. These fibers lodge in the pleura and, over time, cause damage to the tissue layer and cancer erupts.

As a result, pleural mesothelioma is often confused with other types of diseases, such as lung cancer and viral pneumonia. Lung cancer can be caused by asbestos (asbestos lung cancer), though it differs from pleural mesothelioma in that it is a malignancy of the lung tissue itself, as opposed to pleural mesothelioma which is a malignancy of the tissue casing of the lungs. Viral pneumonia shares certain symptomatic similarities with pleural mesothelioma and is often misdiagnosed as such.

You can get all the types of Mesothelioma details on this blog.