Is pleural thickening an early sign of lung cancer?
Disease description:
Recently diagnosed with pleural thickening, I'm very concerned whether this could be a symptom of early-stage lung cancer?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Ren Yi
Pleural thickening is not necessarily an early sign of lung cancer.
It may be caused by various factors, including infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, inflammation, trauma, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and tumors. In cases related to tumors, pleural thickening may result from lung cancer or metastasis of other types of cancer to the pleura, but this does not mean that all pleural thickening indicates an early sign of cancer.
Lung cancer is a common primary malignant tumor originating from bronchial mucosa or glands. Early symptoms may include cough, sputum production, and hemoptysis, but it does not necessarily cause pleural thickening. Although pleural thickening can sometimes occur in patients with lung cancer, it is usually secondary to an existing primary lesion within the lung.
To determine the exact cause of pleural thickening, imaging examinations such as CT scans, as well as cytological tests or tissue biopsies are generally required for diagnosis.
When pleural thickening is detected, timely medical consultation is recommended.
