[Chest drainage combined with intracavitary therapy in neoplastic pleural effusion: comparison of three different...

Twenty-eight patients with malignant pleural effusion observed in a two year period were treated with intrapleural instillation of different substances: Tetracycline, Corynebacterium parvum and Beta-Interferon. Different results were observed: complete responsiveness (no recurrence of pleural effusion within three months); partial responsiveness (recurrence of moderate pleural effusion within one month after drainage removal); insufficient responsiveness (recurrence of massive effusion within one month). Among patients treated with Tetracycline seven complete, five partial and one insufficient responses were observed. Instillation of Corynebacterium parvum allowed two complete, two partial and three insufficient responses. Finally, in the group treated with Beta-Interferon complete responsiveness was obtained in just one patient, partial responsiveness in three, while the treatment was insufficient in the last two. These results suggest pleural drainage is the best treatment in patients with malignant pleural effusion, however, the association of Tetracycline instillation allows better results.