What is Pleural Thickening?

Of the four primary asbestos diseases, two are cancers (malignant mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer), one is pulmonary fibrosis (asbestosis), and the other is pleural fibrosis (pleural thickening).

This webpage is dedicated to telling you more about the lung disease called pleural thickening or, to use its full name, ‘diffuse pleural thickening’.

Pleural thickening is the least well-known of asbestos-related illnesses. It can be benign or malignant, but most commonly it is benign, meaning that, unlike mesothelioma, it is not cancer.

Like the other types of asbestos disease, it is incurable. All the other asbestos diseases are progressive, meaning they get worse, never better.

Pleural thickening may or may not progress, depending on several factors, one of which is whether the disease is diagnosed at the earliest possible stage.

With treatment (and for some even without it), many pleural thickening sufferers manage to live relatively symptom-free lives.

The disease is not so kind to others, and they may require treatment that goes further than a good diet, nutrition, and exercise, such as home oxygen treatment therapy. Their quality of life may be much more impaired.

The 2021 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on asbestos disease statistics revealed that in 2019, 510 new cases of pleural thickening were put forward for assessments for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).

On this page, we take a look at some of the key information surrounding pleural thickening.

If you cannot find the information that you are looking for, simply contact us using this form or by calling us on 0800 987 8809. We will be only too pleased to try and help you.

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How does asbestos cause pleural thickening?

Pleural thickening is most associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos mineral is formed of fibres, but it was often turned into asbestos cloth-like material, or asbestos board for industrial use.

Asbestos was widely used in many industries before it was banned because of the dangers to health that it posed. However, before the first part of the ban came into force in 1985, many thousands of employees were regularly exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos is damaging to health when it is worked with, i.e., when ripped, sawn or drilled (in the case of asbestos sheets board or sheets). Working with asbestos meant that clouds of asbestos dust formed and were ever-present in workplaces where asbestos was in regular use.

When inhaled, the fibres that make up asbestos dust often remain inside the lining of the lungs (the pleura), causing scarring and thickening of the lining. This may be accompanied by a build-up of fluid (pleural effusions).

Over time, the scar tissue becomes stiff and rigid, making it difficult for the affected person to breathe properly. As the person’s lung function worsens, this impairment makes it more and more difficult for the person concerned to breathe.

Pleural thickening can be unilateral or bilateral. In other words, it can affect either of the lungs or both. However, most new diagnoses of pleural thickening result from historical cases of asbestos exposure dating back many decades.

The long period between exposure and diagnosis of asbestos disease is called the ‘latency period’, between 10 and 40 years.

In what occupations were workers most at risk of getting pleural thickening?

Anyone who worked with asbestos was at risk of being exposed to asbestos. It wasn’t just the tradespersons who were at risk of exposure.

For example, workers whose jobs were to:

• Sweep up asbestos dust after the tradespeople had finished their work
• Dispose of torn-off asbestos pipe lagging
• Stir asbestos concrete mix

were in danger of getting exposed to asbestos almost daily.

No list of occupations or industries will ever include all occupational situations where exposure was rife. Here are some of the more common examples:

• Dockers.
• Power Station Workers.
• Steelworkers.
• Coal Miners.
• Railway engineering workers.
• Shipbuilders.
• Fitters.
• Plumbers
• Asbestos strippers.
• Carpenters.
• Laggers.
• Labourers.
• Roofers.
• Construction workers.
• Boiler workers.
• Plasterers.
• Textile workers.

What are the symptoms of pleural thickening?

Symptoms of pleural thickening include:

• Breathlessness.
• Chest pains.

Because the symptoms of pleural thickening are relatively generic, they can give the impression of being nothing to worry about. It’s important that people with a history of working with asbestos recognise the symptoms and make an appointment to see their GP immediately should they experience any of them.

Although pleural thickening is incurable, the earlier it is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin to make the illness more manageable.

How is pleural thickening diagnosed?

• By promptly recognising the symptoms of asbestos disease and, if they appear, making an appointment to visit your GP.
• Compiling a chronological history of working with asbestos so that your GP and any other relevant healthcare professional you are referred to are fully aware of the situation.
• Your GP will likely arrange for you to have an x-ray – to look for signs of lung disease.
• You may be asked to take a lung function test – to see how well the lungs are working.
• You will be required to undergo a Computerised Tomography (CT) scan.
• You may need a biopsy a medical procedure to take tissue or cell samples from your lung to confirm a prognosis of pleural thickening.

It may not be necessary for you to undergo all of the procedures listed above.

How is pleural thickening treated?

Not all pleural thickening cases require treatment, and managing and controlling the disease is the priority for those that do.

Pulmonary rehabilitation, stopping smoking and doing some exercise all help alleviate symptoms. Be guided by health professionals about the treatments available to you and how much exercise you should do.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a therapy programme delivered over six to eight weeks in hospitals and health or community centres.

Oxygen therapy treatment is an option if the patient’s breathing worsens.

Asbestos Awareness is dedicated to informing, educating, and supporting people in relation to asbestos-related diseases.

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