DIFFUSE PLEURAL THICKENING

A diagnosis of “diffuse pleural thickening” can indicate the presence of asbestos-related mesothelioma cancer

Pleural thickening is the term used to describe the appearance of “diffuse” (widespread) scarring along the tissue lining (pleura) of the lungs, and can indicate the presence of a life-threatening disease like mesothelioma, a fatal cancer caused by occupational asbestos exposure.

Diffuse pleural thickening

July 2, 2010 – Occupational asbestos exposure can lead to several disturbing changes in a worker’s lung tissue, including pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and pleural thickening. Of these three changes, "diffuse pleural thickening" is the most worrisome.

Diffuse pleural thickening can interfere with breathing and usually indicates a serious life-threatening disease, like mesothelioma.

What causes diffuse pleural thickening?

Diffuse pleural mesothelioma cancer is caused by the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers, which become embedded in the tissue that lines the chest cavity and the outside of the lung, known as “the pleura.”

A healthy pleura is very elastic and plays an important role in helping someone breathe. If there is widespread scarring and damage to the pleura, as in cases of diffuse pleural thickening, the tissue loses its elasticity and can cause great difficulty breathing.

The rapid growth of the pleural mesothelioma cancer tumors enlarges the pleural space, causing it to fill with fluid. Draining this fluid from the lungs helps relieve the painful symptoms of diffuse pleural thickening. It is one of the first medical procedures doctors take when they discover pleural mesothelioma symptoms.

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If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, let a New York law firm that specializes in asbestos litigation defend your claim. Weitz & Luxenberg is a legal force in the nation’s asbestos litigation field, having obtained record-setting verdicts and settlements for American workers injured by asbestos exposure for nearly three decades.

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