Pleural plaques are localised, well-defined
areas of pleural thickening, rather like calluses on other parts of the
body. They are patches of tough sinewy tissue formed on the pleura on
the chest wall. The pleura is a two-layered membrane surrounding the
lungs, shown on the diagram. Sometimes these plaques are
‘calcified’ and may be referred to as ‘calcified
pleural plaques’. Your consultant will be able to see these on an
X-ray.
Usually, you will not experience any
symptoms of breathlessness or discomfort because of pleural plaques and
it is unlikely that you will know that you have them.
Pleural plaques are seen as the least serious form of asbestos disease
and are not in themselves dangerous. But, they are seen as an indicator
of exposure to asbestos and there is a small chance, because of that
exposure, that you may develop one of the other types of asbestos
disease in the future.
You
cannot claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for pleural
plaques. The Benefits Agency does not consider pleural plaques a
disease for which you may claim benefits. Due to a recent ruling
by the House of Lords, it is now not possible to claim compensation for
pleural plaques. However, it is worth contacting the Derbyshire
Asbestos Support Team for further information.
DIFFUSE PLEURAL
THICKENING
Diffuse pleural thickening is similar in
appearance to pleural plaques, but the ‘thickening’ is more
widespread and may involve both layers of the pleura. As with pleural
plaques, one or both lungs may be affected. Diffuse pleural
thickening can cause breathlessness and because of this it is
considered to be more serious than pleural plaques. This thickening or
‘fibrosis’ can be identified sometimes through clinical
examination, but is usually diagnosed by X-ray.
Sometimes a build up of fluid in the
pleural cavity occurs before diffuse pleural thickening develops. This
condition is called a ‘pleural effusion’ and can cause
breathlessness and, in some instances, pain. It can take up to 10
to 20 years to develop pleural plaques and pleural thickening after
exposure to asbestos.
You can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
from the Benefits Agency for diffuse pleural thickening if you were
exposed to asbestos at work. You can also claim compensation from your
employer through the courts if you were negligently exposed to
asbestos, or from the DWP if your employer is no longer trading
LUNG CANCER ASSOCIATED WITH ASBESTOS
Workers exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of
developing lung cancer. This risk is greatly increased if the person
exposed to asbestos also smokes. Because it is very difficult to
distinguish lung cancer caused by asbestos and that caused by smoking
or other environmental pollutants, it is often very difficult to get a
clear diagnosis of asbestos-related lung cancer.
Because of these diagnostic difficulties the Benefits
Agency does not accept a diagnosis of asbestos-related lung
cancer unless the person has either asbestosis or diffuse pleural
thickening as well as lung cancer. This results in great injustice as
there is no medical certainty that asbestosis or diffuse pleural
thickening is a necessary precursor of lung cancer. The treatment for
asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as that for lung cancer
generally. Although treatment is decided individually for each patient,
it is generally accepted that the earlier the diagnosis the better the
outcome of the treatment. Early lung cancer can sometimes be cured by
surgery and some forms of lung cancer can be treated with chemotherapy.
Radiotherapy is often given to improve the symptoms of lung cancer.
You can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
from the Benfits Agency for asbestos-related lung cancer if you were
exposed to asbestos at work. You can also claim compensation from your
employer through the courts if you were negligently exposed to
asbestos, or from the DWP if your employer is no longer trading
