Pleural effusion

Pleural effusion is excess fluid that accumulates between the two pleural layers, the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs. Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during ventilation.

Pathophysiology
Pleural fluid is secreted by the visceral layer of the pleura and reabsorbed by the parietal layer of the pleura.


Diagnosis
Pleural effusion is usually diagnosed on the basis of medical history and physical exam, and confirmed by chest x-ray. Once accumulated fluid is more than 300 ml, there are usually detectable clinical signs in the patient, such as decreased movement of the chest on the affected side, stony dullness to percussion over the fluid, diminished breath sounds on the affected side, decreased vocal resonance and fremitus (though this is an inconsistent and unreliable sign), and pleural friction rub. Above the effusion, where the lung is compressed, there may be bronchial breathing and egophony. In large effusion there may be tracheal deviation away from the effusion. A systematic review (2009) published as part of the Rational Clinical Examination Series in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that dullness to conventional percussion was most accurate for diagnosing pleural effusion (summary positive likelihood ratio, 8.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.2–33.8), while the absence of reduced tactile vocal fremitus made pleural effusion less likely (negative likelihood ratio, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.12–0.37).

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

• Chest wall pain
• Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue or anemia
• Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
• Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage.

Symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
• A mass in the abdomen
• Problems with bowel function
• Weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

• Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
• Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
• Low blood sugar level
• Pleural effusion
• Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
• Severe ascites

A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Early Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that many people are not even aware they may have. The symptoms are very subtle in the beginning and may go unnoticed. Some people experience no symptoms at all. This can lead to mesothelioma being left undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for several years. It is imperative that a person seek out medical attention at the first signs of mesothelioma. If the mesothelioma is left undiagnosed and untreated, the cancer can spread throughout the body.

Become more informed about the earlier symptoms associated with malignant mesothelioma. MesotheliomaSymptoms.com offers a detailed packet containing current essentials about this disease. For those suffering from early symptoms an accurate diagnosis can lead to a more favorable prognosis and more treatment options. Fill out the form below so we can overnight you this vital information today.

Asbestos Cancer Stems From Abnormal Cells In The Mesothelioma

Asbestos cancer (malignant mesothelioma) derives its common name from the fact that almost all cases today is usually traced time for exposure to asbestos. It is a virulent form of malignancy, and will even be caused by exposure to clothes that have been contaminated elsewhere and brought home. Things have a little more regulated in this field with recent years, as the law requires these clothes to get left about the work site. Fibers of asbestos are small, sharp, and thin, and bypass hairs in the nose and other body systems meant to filter these sorts out. Then the fibers catch up inside lungs, stomach, and even heart sac.








That's where asbestos cancer develops. Asbestos cancer is whith in the lining membranes (called mesothelia) of the lungs, heart, and also other abdominal organs. There are 3 named types of asbestos cancer. There is "pleural mesothelioma" (asbestos cancer in the lungs), "pericardia mesothelioma" (heart-sac asbestos cancer) and "peritoneal mesothelioma" (abdominal asbestos cancer). The lungs are just about the most prevalent, and also the heart-sac form of asbestos cancer is quite rare.Asbestos cancer stems from abnormal cells in the mesothelia.

At some point, these begin dividing out of control, and constitute asbestos cancer. Or else diagnosed early and treated, once it manifests it becomes very aggressive. It may also spread to organs (metastasize).The first signs of asbestos cancer from the lungs (pleural) are generally a nagging cough and heart problems. Stomach fluid buildup is usually a potential symbol of abdominal asbestos cancer, and swelling there will often occur. In the heart-sac, asbestos cancer should have symptoms like heart problems, palpitations, and coughing.Asbestos cancer may be known to develop from as low as 2-3 months of exposure, even though it often takes from 20 to 40 years to happen, that many don't know the cause.

What is Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.


Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart), or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).


Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos and glass particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos or glass can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers. Those who have been exposed to asbestos often utilize attorneys to collect damages for asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in law practices regarding mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).


The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.