Inflammation of the Pleural Cavity: A Review on Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Implications in Tumor Pathophysiology

Simple Summary The pleura is a cavity whose pathology ranges from simple fluid accumulation to tumor development, all inducing important consequences in patents health, and usually having an important association with local inflammation. Understanding the pathophysiology of pleural inflammation helps the development of the correct treatment strategies and opens new windows in pleural research. Thus, the aim of this review is to present the etiologies and the pathophysiological mechanisms of pleural inflammation with a special interest in their role on tumor development and diagnosis. Pleural effusions are a common respiratory condition with many etiologies. Nonmalignant etiologies explain most pleural effusions and despite being nonmalignant, they can be associated with poor survival; thus, it is important to understand their pathophysiology. Furthermore, diagnosing a benign pleural pathology always harbors the uncertainty of a false-negative diagnosis for physicians and pathologists, especially for the group of non-specific pleuritis. This review aims to present the role of the inflammation in the development of benign pleural effusions, with a special interest in their pathophysiology and their association with malignancy.

Automated summary

This review aims to present the etiologies and pathophysiological mechanisms of pleural inflammation, with a special focus on its role in tumor development and diagnosis. It also highlights the importance of understanding the pathophysiology of nonmalignant pleural effusions and the uncertainty in diagnosing benign pleural pathology, especially non-specific pleuritis.