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Pleural mesothelioma is the most common mesothelioma. It is a rare cancer that grows in the mesothelial cells, membrane that lines body’s organs and cavities. In the case of pleural mesothelioma, the cancer develops in the lining of the lungs, called the pleura. Asbestos exposure is the main cause of pleural mesothelioma and develops when the toxic asbestos fibers become trapped in the spaces between the mesothelial.

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma: Once the asbestos cells absorb in the body, cancerous cells start dividing, leads to the thickening of pleura or membranes causing production of fluid. This fluid gives pressure to the chest and cause breathing problems.

Persistent dry or raspy cough

Coughing up blood

Unexplained weight loss

Fatigue

Shortness of breath that occurs even when at rest

Persistent pain in the chest or rib area, or painful breathing

Development of lumps under the skin on the chest

Difficulty in swallowing

Night sweats or fever

Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis: A pleural mesothelioma diagnosis is partially decided on the basis of symptoms but additional diagnostic tests are needed to confirm the presence of cancer. Following a medical history review and physical examination, patients must typically undergo imaging tests, such as x-rays or CT scans, to confirm the location of cancer. A patient must also usually endure fluid and tissue tests, also known as biopsies, to confirm the type of cancer involved. Treatment for Pleural Mesothelioma: Surgery: either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies, has proved disappointing. A pleurectomy is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the chest is removed in mesothelioma. Less common is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which the lung, lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed. Radiation therapy: radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy, often given simultaneously with chemotherapy. The necessary radiation dose to treat mesothelioma that has not been surgically removed would be very toxic. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is defined as treatment of cancer using chemical substances .In mesothelioma cancers cells grows in the affected region. Using chemotherapy destroy the cancer cells by further multiplication. It destroys the cancer cells, to shrink the growth, and relief symptoms like pain which is very common in mesothelioma.