My dad has had COPD with Emphysema for a very long time, recently in March he was admitted into A & E with Pleural Effusion, he was given a chest/abdomen CT scan which demonstrated loss of volume of right hemi-thorax with partial collapse middle lobe and multiple pericardial lymph nodes which they found to be suspicious of metastatic carcinoma or mesothelioma.  As the A & E Department did an intercostal chest drain to ease his pain and to remove the fluid., he was sent home to wait for the fluid to rebuild back up so that they were able to do a biopsy which they scheduled for 7th May.  On 17th April they performed an xray and found that the effusion had reaccumulated much quicker than anticipated so decided to do a thoroscopy where they could obtain a tissue diagnosis.  Yesterday 28th April it was confirmed that he had Mesothelioma in the right lung and that the lymph nodes next to his heart had multiple tumours.  He was given this information by the Respiratory Consultant and has been told he will be asked to return next week to see an Oncologist and Cancer specialist nurse.  I feel so frustrated as my parents wont allow me to go along to the appointment to hear what the Consultant has to say and feel they are keeping things from me, which I know of course is their right.  I worry that with all this going on they are not taking things in.  I just wondered if anyone on hear could tell me what staging it sounds like.  I also noticed myself that he has swelling on his sternum which is visible and his neck glands look swollen and he has a grey look about him.  My dad is 75.

He has always been poorly with his chest and in previous years he apparently had a mass appearance which didnt look suspicious so they didnt no further investigations, and I am now wondering whether the mass appearance off years ago maybe have been the start of it.  I have to say that the team who have been involved since March this year have said his pleural disease needed to take priority hence we got the results quickly than we thought.

Thanks for your time.