Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common, its incidence being 9 times higher than the peritoneal mesothelioma. It is more common in men than in women, being the age of onset of symptoms between 50 to 70 years with a latency period of 20 to 40 years. In 80% of cases the etiology is exposure to asbestos dust. Other possible causes of mesothelioma are radiation therapy and polio vaccines contaminated with simian virus SV40. The pleural mesothelioma is about 3% of malignant neoplasms of the pleura, and when the diagnosis is made rapidly and its course is invariably fatal, usually during the next two years.

The most common clinical presentation is diffuse chest pain, which occasionally can be pleuritic or radiating to the shoulder accompanied by pleural effusions. Dyspnea, cough, weakness, malaise and fatigue are usually in advanced stages of disease. In 89% of cases, the abnormal electrocardiogram abnormalities being more frequent sinus tachycardia (42%), ventricular or atrial arrhythmias (17%) and blockage of a branch bundle (30%)

The most common radiographic finding is of an irregular opacity in the lung periphery, associated with ipsilateral pleural effusion, with evidence of deflation, contraction of the hemithorax committed and no shift of the mediastinum to the opposite side, despite significant pleural effusions (*) The diagnosis should be suspected when pleural thickening is found surrounding the lung trap and secured to the mediastinum.