Mesothelioma lung cancer. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the lungs of a 69 year old patient with mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. This cancer affects the pleura, the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity, and is usually associated with exposure to asbestos. Here the volume of the right lung is greatly reduced by the tumour. Although mesothelioma can cause a cough and chest pain, in many cases it is symptomless. This delays diagnosis and therefore treatment. If a diagnosis is made before it has grown too large, treatment may include surgical removal. Otherwise the prognosis is poor.