Active clinical trials for "Pleural Effusion, Malignant"

In this study, the investigators will collect data on patients who are using the Aspira system as part of their clinical care for the management of recurrent pleural effusion. Data will be collected on patient demographics, placement of the pleural catheter, palliation of dyspnea, complication rates, and rates of spontaneous pleurodesis.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether betadine (povidone-iodine) instillation during routine indwelling Tunneled Pleural Catheter (TPC) placement is efficacious in promoting pleurodesis and thus reducing the time to TPC removal.

The safety and efficacy of fibrinolysis in patients with an indwelling pleural catheter for multi-loculated malignant pleural effusion.

To evaluate the ability of cancer ratio and pleural fluid markers to discriminate between malignant and non malignant effusion

The primary objective of this study, sponsored by Travera in Massachusetts, is to validate whether the mass response biomarker has potential to predict response of patients to specific therapies or therapeutic combinations using isolated tumor cells from varying cancers and biopsy formats.

RATIONALE: Some drugs such as bleomycin or doxycycline, or other compounds like talc, may help to control fluid in the chest caused by cancer. It is not yet known if bleomycin, doxycycline, or talc is more effective in treating patients with malignant pleural effusions. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of bleomycin, doxycycline, or talc in treating patients with malignant pleural effusions.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) arises in advanced-stages of malignancies and frequently heralds a poor prognosis.If the underlying malignancy is chemo sensitive (e.g., small-cell carcinoma of lung & lymphoma), systemic chemotherapy may control the pleural effusion. Instilling of sclerosing agents into the pleural cavity (pleurodesis) is a common method for the management of MPE. According to a recent survey, tetracycline or its derivative (doxycycline) is the preferred agent for performing pleurodesis at many centers. In a previous study from the investigators' center, the investigators have demonstrated equal efficacy of iodopovidone in comparison to talc in inducing pleural symphysis. Also, iodopovidone has been postulated to have anti-neoplastic effects and hence may help in reducing the drain output. Apart from these benefits iodopovidone is easily available and is cost effective. The investigators believe that iodopovidone will have better efficacy than doxycycline in inducing pleurodesis in malignant pleural effusion.

Fluid caused by cancer cells may accumulate in the lining of the lung. Draining the fluid with a chest tube may relieve pain and shortness of breath. To stop the fluid from coming back again, patients are given a medicine (talc) into the chest drain to seal up the space around the lung. This procedure is known as pleurodesis. This sometimes causes pain and discomfort, and the investigators do not know the best way of preventing this. The investigators hope to find the best way to prevent pain during pleurodesis.

RATIONALE: Talc may relieve malignant pleural effusion. It is not yet known whether wet talc is more effective than dry talc in treating patients with malignant pleural effusion. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of wet talc with dry talc in treating patients with malignant pleural effusion.

The study is to investigate the anticancer effect and the related immunological mechanism of MTX-ATMPs in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion.