The Maune Raichle Law Firm

Mesothelioma Pleural Effusion

Mesothelioma is most commonly observed in the pleural mesothelium, the layer of tissue which envelops the lungs and allows for their near frictionless movement of internal organs within the chest. A pleural effusion is one of the more common severe symptoms of mesothelioma. A pleural effusion is an accumulation of fluid between the two layers of mesothelium and often results in painful breathing, reduced lung capacity and periodic shortness of breath. Although a pleural effusion can be nearly as dangerous as the mesothelioma tumor, it is often one of the symptoms which leads patients to seek the medical opinion of their physician and be diagnosed. Without a pleural effusion, other less severe symptoms can be overlooked in their early stages and a case of mesothelioma can escape diagnosis until after it reaches advanced stages.

Pleural effusions can have many causes, and the symptoms associated with a pleural effusion should lead anyone to seek medical help, but a pleural effusion does not necessarily indicate mesothelioma. A pleural effusion, in the case of mesothelioma, is caused by the over production of the fluid that is meant to lubricate the layers of mesothelium and allow for movement. As the mesothelioma tumor grows, mesothelium cells - without the control and regulation they would regularly receive - secrete fluid even after necessary levels have been met . The resulting pleural effusion will often continue to grow until it is drained and the cancerous mesothelium cells are treated.

The treatment of a pleural effusion usually involves a simple draining of the effusion and also the elimination of the cause. The cause in the case of mesothelioma is the cancerous cells within the mesothelioma tumor. Draining of the effusion often occurs prior to treatment of mesothelioma to reduce pain and restore lung function in preparation for more extensive treatment associated with mesothelioma.