Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Pleural Diseases
Saturday, June 28th, 2008.
Respiration. 2008;76(1):1-15. Epub 2008 May 8. [Link]
Greillier L, Astoul P.
Service d’ncologie Thoracique, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
Abstract
At present, the use of asbestos is not regulated at a worldwide scale. Moreover, there is a latency period between asbestos exposure and the manifestations of asbestos-related diseases. Consequently, pulmonologists are still dealing with consequences of asbestos exposure, which mainly occur at the pleural surface. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of asbestos-related pleural diseases. We summarized the most relevant data for the diagnosis and the management of benign asbestos pleural effusions, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening and rounded atelectasis. Special attention is dedicated to malignant pleural mesothelioma, given the challenging issues of this disease, the recent advances in its management and the dynamism of research in this area.
Keywords: Asbestos, Mesothelioma, Plaque, Pleural effusion, Pleural cancer, Rounded atelectasis, Pleural fibrosis
Glossary
- fibrosis
- formation of scar-like (fibrous) tissue. This can occur anywhere in the body.
- diagnosis
- identifying a disease by its signs or symptoms, and by using imaging procedures and laboratory findings. The earlier a diagnosis of cancer is made, the better the chance for long-term survival.
- cancer
- malignancy; a group of diseases typified by abnormal, generally out-of-control, cell growth.
- benign
- (be-nine) not cancer; not malignant.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
- pleural effusion
- an abnormal accumulation of fluid, usually caused by trauma or disease, in the pleural space.
