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Anatomy Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural cancer is a serious and potentially fatal form of cancer that affects the pleura, the double serous membrane that covers and supports the lungs in the chest cavity. More precisely, it is called pleural mesothelioma when the cancer only affects the mesothelium (epithelium that surrounds all the great serous cavities such as the pleural cavity).

Pleural mesothelioma is a widespread form of cancer that affects the mesothelium of the pleura. The primary cancer of the pleura seem to occur with repeated exposure to a very limited number of exogenous agents: asbestos (or asbestos) and its derivatives.


Once these fibers are inhaled, they migrate directly to the pleural membrane, where they are housed. The body of the person exposed to asbestos have difficulty disposing of needle-like fibers.

Over the years, staying fibers are irritating the pleural and as a result it causes chronic irritation and scarring in some cases can cause pleural mesothelioma. In case of this cancer, asbestos pleural goes directly into cells. If these cells are cancerous, they multiply uncontrollably and form tumors.

The life expectancy of a patient suffering from this disease is between 4-18 months and 80 percent of people who develop pleural mesothelioma are male seniors who have had exposure to asbestos in their work and with a certain period of time when the disease soon appeared.

The first symptoms presented by a patient are coughing and shortness of breath. This is mainly caused by reduced lung capacity and fluid retention at the sides of the pleura.

Anatomy and Function of the Pleura

The lungs are surrounded individually by the pleura (visceral pleura). The pleura is extremely important for respiration. Each lung is fully covered by pleura. It is interrupted only in lung thread, where blood vessels and major bronchi enter the lungs.

The outer layer is called the pleura and parietal pleura lines the inside of the rib cage. In addition, the parietal pleura separates the lungs to the middle of the chest (called the mediastinum). 

In the mediastinum is the heart and handles the aorta, pulmonary arteries and veins, trachea and esophagus. The visceral pleura covers the surface of the lungs while the parietal pleura lines the inner surface shape of the rib cage in which they are located.

The two layers of pleura are close together, but among them is a liquid in small quantities, and allows dimming can expand the lungs during inspiration.

By the same principle, the lung expands through the action of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscular wide layer separating the chest from the abdomen. It is slightly curved upwards. When the muscle layer contracts, the diaphragm flattens. With this drive, the lungs expand and air can enter.
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