Active clinical trials for "Pleural Effusion, Malignant"

The purpose of this research is to objectively assess activity behaviours (i.e., physical activity and sedentary behaviour) in patients with malignant pleural effusion. First, we aim to describe the physical activity and sedentary behavior of patients with MPE in Hong Kong. Secondarily, we aim to assess the relationships between activity behaviours and survival, quality of life, and respiratory symptoms e.g. shortness of breath.

Malignant pleural effusion is a common clinical problem with median survival of approximately 6 months thus efficient management of Malignant pleural effusion is important. In patients with a Trapped Lung, pleurodesis will be unsuccessful and an indwelling pleural catheter should be inserted instead. Accurate detection of Trapped Lung prior to insertion would avoid futile attempts at talc pleurodesis, re-intervention following failed pleurodesis and allow adequate time to plan for an indwelling pleural catheter insertion.Pleural manometry allows direct and objective measurement of intra-pleural pressure during pleural fluid aspiration.The primary aim of this study is to determine whether the addition of digital pleural manometry to clinical judgment, prior to and during local anaesthetic thoracoscopy, results in a clinically meaningful improvement in Trapped Lung detection.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is known to be a fibrogenic cytokine, it could be expressed in various fibrosis diseases. But, recent research showed that CTGF also be considered to be a tumor suppressive gene. The expression of CTGF protein is higher in normal Type I and II alveolar epithelial cells than metastatic tumor cells. CTGF appears to be a suppressor of lung tumor invasion and in metastasis and the decreased CTGF expression in tumor tissues was associated with advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, early postoperative relapse and shorter patient survival. CTGF can be expressed in many human organs such as heart, brain, placenta, liver, muscle, kidney, peritoneal mesothelial cells and lung but did not known in the pleura. The CTGF protein is present in the peritoneal cavity and is increased during peritonitis. Considering pleural cavity comes from the same origin of mesenchyma with peritoneum, pericardium and fallopian tube, we aim to evaluate whether the CTGF expression increase in the pleurisy patients including the parapneumonic effusion and the TB pleurisy. The diagnosis of TB pleurisy depends on the effusion TB culture and pleural biopsy. Unfortunately the sensitivity of TB culture was only 20-30%. So most patients must receive invasive pleural biopsy. Adenosine deaminase(ADA) was developed as a screening test but should not be considered an alternative test to culture and biopsy. The sensitivity of ADA might vary from 32%-100% and the cutoff value also vary from 26 to 70 IU/L. We should develop a method to alternate the culture and biopsy . Therefore, our technologist Jao-Jia chu will develop the CTGF ELISA kit for this specific aim. If CGTF might increase expression in pleuritis but decrease in pleural metastasis, it might be a potential method help to differentiate lymphocytic pleural effusion between TB pleurisy and malignancy.

Thoracic ultrasonography easily detects the movement of the visceral pleura on the parietal pleura This sign is absent when pleurodesis is successful.

Up to 20 patients with malignant pleural effusions will be interviewed about their experiences of having this condition and its management.