Spinal cord compression: an unusual presentation of malignant pleural mesothelioma. A case report and review of the literature.

Pleural malignant mesothelioma is a locally invasive tumor that tends to progress due to direct extension of the tumor into the pulmonary parenchyma, the chest wall, the mediastinum, or the abdominal cavity via the diaphragm. In the later stages of the disease, distant metastases can occur. Metastases to the nervous system are rare, and clinical signs of nervous system involvement typically appear between 2 months and 6 years after the primary diagnosis. However, the case presented here manifested as neurological impairment without any respiratory symptoms.