Pleura Disease and Mesothelioma

Often, the exposure to asbestos will cause harm to the lining of the lungs, called pleura. Calcium deposits in the scars caused by asbestos fibers will go through 'calcification' which cause it to harden.
Fluid effusion may be accumulated around the lung. This condition do not present any immediate harm and will dissolve by itself and subsequently return later. This repeated fluid accumulation gradually cause 'diffuse pleural thickening', which is the thickening of the entire pleura. This thickening process may end up as scar tissue and even make it difficult for the lungs to expand.
Malignant Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the pleura or the abdomen (peritonuem) and it is caused only by asbestos exposure. There are two types of mesothelioma cells - epithelial and sarcomatoid.
Even a relatively short amount of exposure to asbestos (one month or two) can manifest itself into mesothelioma cancer or even lung cancer 20, 30, 50, or even 70 years later.
Like most disease, early detection and treatment can significantly increase recovery chance. Unfortunately, mesothelioma lung cancer is often asymptomatic and treatments are often too late when a patient is diagnosed. Many will die from the disease in the following 12 months of diagnosis, and most will not survive more than 18 months.
Therefore, some treatments for mesothelioma is aim to to relieve symptoms rather than to cure the disease. If your doctor recommends palliative (comfort) treatments, he/she is fore seeing that your illness cannot be cured. In this scenario, get a second opinion or check out what alternative treatment have to offer.