Respiratory complications of mesothelioma can be caused by the cancer and its treatment. Shortness of breath and pleural effusion are among the most common lung problems mesothelioma patients experience. Treatments and management therapies are available to control respiratory complications.
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Respiratory complications stem from tumors growing on the lining of the lungs. Other respiratory complications include shortness of breath and pleural effusion. These mesothelioma symptoms worsen as the cancer progresses to later stages.
Fluid buildup in the lining of the lungs, also known as pleural effusions, can lead to restricting the lungs from filling with air, which causes trouble breathing and, overtime, lung infections.
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may cause respiratory complications.
Unfortunately, patients cannot avoid or reduce the risk of respiratory complications. Breathing exercises, supplemental oxygen and palliative surgical procedures can ease these symptoms.
Patients should report any changes in lung function or worsening chest pain to catch respiratory complications early.
Respiratory Complications Caused by Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma can cause a variety of respiratory complications, such as shortness of breath, pleural effusion and lung collapse.
Frequency of symptoms reported in a 2011 study of 221 pleural patients.
As mesothelioma progresses throughout the chest, multiple symptoms can occur, and there is a higher risk for severe complications.
Shortness of Breath
Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is mesothelioma’s most common respiratory complication. In a 2011 study of 238 pleural mesothelioma patients published in Industrial Health, 79% reported shortness of breath.
Treatments: Breathing techniques and supplemental oxygen can help manage shortness of breath. Ask your oncologist about breathing exercises or for a referral to a pulmonologist.
Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid between the layers of the pleural lining. The excess fluid presses against the lungs and contributes to breathing difficulties.
Approximately 90% of pleural mesothelioma patients get effusions. A 2021 clinical research study noted that pleural effusions affect more than 1.5 million patients annually in the U.S.
Treatments: Most patients with pleural effusions receive thoracentesis, a procedure that drains fluid from the pleural space to relieve lung pressure. Doctors may also recommend pleurodesis, a longer-term solution for recurring pleural effusions.
Rounded Atelectasis
Rounded atelectasis, or folded lung, is a partially collapsed lung. Pleural effusion and pleural thickening trigger this respiratory condition. Asbestos exposure accounts for 29% to 86% of cases.
Treatments: Physical therapies or surgical procedures can address the cause.
Collapsed Lung
Pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, is an uncommon respiratory complication in mesothelioma patients. It happens when air enters the pleural space between the lung and chest wall. Less than 10% of patients experience a spontaneous pneumothorax.
Treatments: Physical therapies and surgical procedures may help release trapped air.
Virginia Beach
Verified Asbestos.com Survivor
Respiratory Issues Prompted Palliative Care
Virginia Beach became frightened by a sudden shortness of breath, prompting her oncologist to recommend hospice and palliative care. A nurse and a social worker started visiting her regularly. “After a while, the doctor told me my lungs were clear. I didn’t need them to do much, but the nurse did help me understand my iPad, and how to use it better,” she laughed. “That was a big help to me.”
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Respiratory Complications from Mesothelioma Treatment
Common pleural mesothelioma treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can lead to new or worsening respiratory complications.
Working with a team of mesothelioma specialists can help reduce these side effects. Doctors who understand this cancer also know common complications of treatments and how best to address them.
Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
Pleural mesothelioma patients have an increased risk of developing pneumonia and respiratory infections. According to a 2017 study published in the Annals of Translational Medicine, approximately 2% of pleural patients who undergo surgery develop pneumonia.
Treatments: Doctors prescribe antibiotics and antivirals to treat pneumonia and respiratory infections.
Respiratory Distress and Failure
Acute respiratory distress syndrome happens when the lung’s tiny air sacs fill with excess fluid. It can develop after specific treatments, such as surgery, talc pleurodesis or pneumonia.
Treatments: Doctors treat ARDS with mechanical ventilation (sometimes called an artificial lung). Around 50% of all ARDS patients experience respiratory failure within 10 days. Most deaths from pleural mesothelioma tend to be a result of respiratory failure.
Other Respiratory Complications of Surgery
Pulmonary edema: Excess fluid in the lungs
Pulmonary embolus: Blood clotting in the lungs
Bronchial air leaks: Air leaking from lungs
Mediastinal shift: The shifting of organs inside the chest
Hemothorax: Internal bleeding around lungs
Acute respiratory distress syndrome: Lung failure
Possible Respiratory Complications of Chemotherapy
Cisplatin: May cause eosinophilic pneumonia, known as accumulation of a certain type of white blood cells in the lungs.
Pemetrexed (Alimta): May cause pneumonitis (lung inflammation), diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (bleeding in the lungs) and ARDS.
Gemcitabine: May cause pneumonitis, eosinophilic pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis, also known as lung tissue scarring.
Respiratory Complications of Radiation Therapy
Radiation pneumonitis (lung inflammation)
Chronic radiation fibrosis (lung tissue scarring)
Call your oncologist immediately if you experience any changes in respiratory function. Catching respiratory complications before they cause complications can improve treatment outcomes.
The sources on all content featured in The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com include medical and scientific studies, peer-reviewed studies and other research documents from reputable organizations.
Ng, C.S., Munden, R.F. & Libshitz, H.I. (1999). Malignant pleural mesothelioma: The spectrum of manifestation on CT in 70 cases. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10437690
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Selby, K. (2024, June 27). Respiratory Complications of Mesothelioma. Asbestos.com. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/respiratory-complications/
MLA
Selby, Karen. "Respiratory Complications of Mesothelioma." Asbestos.com, 27 Jun 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/respiratory-complications/.
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Selby, Karen. "Respiratory Complications of Mesothelioma." Asbestos.com. Last modified June 27, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/respiratory-complications/.
A medical doctor who specializes in mesothelioma or cancer treatment reviewed the content on this page to ensure it meets current medical standards and accuracy.
Please read our editorial guidelines to learn more about our content creation and review process.
Dr. Jeffrey Velotta is an experienced thoracic surgeon and pleural mesothelioma specialist at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in California. Velotta also serves as an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco.
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