Jurnal Respirasi (JR)
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2026): January 2026

Massive Pleural Effusion Leads to the Revelation of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Case Report

Gede Adi Prasetya Wijaya (Wangaya Regional General Hospital, Denpasar, Indonesia.)
Ivan Leonard Winardy Oei (Wangaya Regional General Hospital, Denpasar, Indonesia.)
Wayan Wahyu Semara Putra (Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Wangaya Regional General Hospital, Denpasar, Indonesia.)
Novitasari Novitasari (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Mahasaraswati, Denpasar, Indonesia.)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jan 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue covering visceral organs (mesothelium). Up to 80% of malignant mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos exposure. This case report describes a 56-year-old female with massive left pleural effusion caused by malignant mesothelioma. Case: A 56-year-old female presented with complaints of shortness of breath for two months, accompanied by right chest pain. Her prior hospital history showed massive left pleural effusion and a prominent lesion in the parietal pleura, suspected as mesothelioma. She had undergone an indwelling pleural catheter insertion and a bronchoscopy examination. However, her complaints persisted. Physical examination revealed thoracic asymmetry and retraction of the left chest wall. Supporting imaging studies revealed a massive left pleural effusion with multiple prominent lesions in the parietal pleura. Conclusion: Asbestos exposure is a major cause of malignant mesothelioma. In this case, the patient had a history of asbestos exposure while working as a laborer in a building materials store, which led to the development of malignant mesothelioma, which caused a massive left pleural effusion. Since malignant mesothelioma is a rare and incurable disease with a generally poor prognosis, the patient’s management primarily involved supportive and palliative therapy to reduce symptoms.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

JR

Publisher

Subject

Health Professions Medicine & Pharmacology Public Health

Description

Jurnal Respirasi is a National journal in accreditation process managed by Department of Pulmonology & Respiratory Medicine Faculty of Medicine Airlangga University - Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya. Publish every January, May, September every year with each of 5 (five) complete texts in ...