The pleura is comprised of two layers which provide support and protection for the lungs and chest cavity. The outer layer, or the parietal layer, lines the entire chest cavity and the diaphragm. The inner layer, or visceral layer, covers the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma typically develops in one layer, but can metastasize, or spread, to the other layer.
Like all mesothelioma cancers, pleural mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure and develops when the toxic asbestos fibers become trapped in the spaces between the mesothelial cells.
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