[Pleural effusions of neoplastic etiology]

A prospective analysis was made of 50 patients with neoplastic pleural exudation for the period 1977-1979. Twenty five of the patients (50%) are with advanced age (60-75). Bronchogenic carcinoma is the most often primary localization of the neoplastic exudates --26 patients (52%), followed by mammary carcinoma--10 cases (20%). In 76 per cent of the patients the pleural exudation is the first clinical manifestation of the neoplastic disease. In the rest of the cases, the metastatic exudation was manifested by the third year after the diagnosis of primary tumor. Dyspnea is outlined as a leading clinical symptom. The data from the biochemical and cytological studies of the pleural punctate were analyzed. The cytological finding is with the highest diagnostic value for the neoplastic pleural exudates.