The pleura are membranes that cover your lungs and the inside of your chest wall. They help cushion your lungs so that the lungs move easily as you breathe.
Though it is rare, tumors and cysts can develop in the pleura, affecting your breathing. Malignant (cancerous) tumors are most mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Some pleural tumors are also caused by cancer spreading (metastasizing) from the lungs or other areas of the body.
Sometimes benign, fluid-filled cysts can develop on the pleura. While these are not cancerous, they can make it difficult to breathe or cause chest pain. Both malignant and benign tumors and cysts can cause pleural effusion or fluid build-up in the lungs.
At Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a team of multidisciplinary experts perform advanced surgical procedures to remove or shrink pleural tumors using surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. They work to control symptoms, such as fluid build-up, and restore your ability to breathe easily.
Why Choose Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center?
Sylvester is an NCI-designated cancer center. Early detection of lung cancer with a low-dose computed tomography (CT) and expert multidisciplinary care can potentially boosts lung cancer survival rates by 20% in high-risk patients.
Robotic video-assisted surgery program ranked among top 10 in the Southeast. Our surgeons use robotic video-assisted technology to improve patient outcomes. This advanced surgical approach results in less blood loss in surgery, shorter hospital stays, and higher survival rates on average for appropriate patients.
Advanced radiation therapy options, like proton therapy, ViewRay (one of just five centers nationwide) and RapidArc®, offer intensity modulated external radiation therapy (IMRT). Our leading-edge technology offers shorter treatment times, pinpoint accuracy in tumor targeting, and less damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
More cancer clinical trials than any other South Florida hospital. If appropriate for your cancer and stage, our clinical trials provide you with the very newest ways to treat and potentially cure your cancer.