Intrapleural chemotherapy – pro
Intrapleural chemotherapy is given through large or small chest catheters that may be connected to an implantable port. These catheters can be used to give drugs as well as to drain fluid that often accumulates in the pleural or peritoneal cavity when cancer has spread to these areas. Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common and life-threatening problem in patients with advanced malignancies. In most cases, MPE is controlled by tube drainage combined with pleurodesis and the intrapleural instillation of various sclerosing or chemotherapeutic agents. Most reports on intrapleural chemotherapy are dated and consist of case reports and case series. There are no propective studies and it is not known how it performs aganst pleurodysis or systemic chemotherapy alone.
Erasmus, Jeremy J. MD; Patz, Edward F. Jr MD Treatment of malignant pleural effusions. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. 5(4):250, July 1999.
Tan, A. Sedrakyan, J. Browne, S. Swift, and T. Treasure
The evidence on the effectiveness of management for malignant pleural effusion: a systematic review.
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., May 1, 2006; 29(5): 829 – 838.