Active clinical trials for "Pleural Effusion"

At the Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, we study resistance mechanisms that hamper effective immunotherapy for solid cancer patients. To perform clinically relevant research, we apply autologous human material for functional assessment. The latter requires viable tumor and immune cells. Solid cancer patients with pleural metastasis often develop pleural effusion. Notably, upon pleural drainage, residual material is obtained that consists of histocompatible tumor and immune cells. Hence with this study, we want to obtain blood and pleural effusion fluid drawn from solid cancer patients with pleural metastases to: Collect, enrich and store primary cells derived from residual pleural effusion fluid and blood at the LMCT (VUB, Belgium) Evaluate characteristics of the cells (phenotype, function,...) and compare content of pleural effusate with blood and clinicopathologic features of the patients.

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of single dose analgesia in combination with local anesthesia to control pain during Trans Ultrasound guided procedures. It also aims to assess the effect of its use on procedure performance time and rate of complications occurrence compared to local anesthesia alone.

This clinical study aims to explore intrapleural low-dose Visudyne®-mediated photodynamic therapy (photo-induction) as a pathway to promote the uptake of systemically administered Lipoplatin™ in pleural malignancies of patients undergoing video-assisted talcage for their malignant pleural effusions. Photo-induction is expected to overcome the chemo-resistance of pleural malignancies for cisplatin-based chemotherapeutics and thereby improve local tumor control.

The goal of this clinical research study is to compare indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) in combination with saline (the current standard of care) versus IPC in combination with doxycycline as treatment for pleural effusions.

The objective of the study is to determine the safety and efficacy of TNK infusion for the treatment of loculated pleural effusions in patients with known malignancy compared to normal saline infusion.

The goal of this study is to determine the progression-free survival and objective response rate in subjects with either stage IIIB with pleural effusion NSCLC or stage IV NSCLC who are treated with up to six cycles of paclitaxel plus carboplatin and either tamibarotene or placebo. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive tamibarotene, 6 mg/m2, divided as twice daily orally, or an equal number of matching placebo tablets, starting 1 week before chemotherapy and continuing through all 6 cycles and beyond. Subjects will be assessed for response on Day 50, Day 113, then every other month using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST 1.1).

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn the effect of ZD6474 on the amount of time between placement of an indwelling pleural catheter and the catheter's removal in patients with malignant pleural effusion. This study will also look at the effect that ZD6474 has on tumor cells, biological characteristics of cells in the body, rate of fluid build-up around the lungs, tumor size, and thickness of blood vessels. The effect that this drug has on quality of life and shortness of breath will also be examined.

Metastatic pleural effusion is a common complication of late-stage cancer and reduces the quality of life and survival of patients. The survival of patients with recurrent pleurisy by uncontrolled local or systemic treatment is less than 6 months. It is important to develop specific therapies to improve the quality of life and survival of patients with metastatic pleurisy. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal anti vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which has proven effective in many indications in oncology. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic factor which increases endothelial permeability. It plays a central role in many tumors of epithelial origin. In this context, it is legitimate to ask whether an antiangiogenic targeting VEGF may be effective in patients with metastatic pleurisy by decreasing local blood supply and over-permeability. No study has been interested in the intra-pleural pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies and there are no predictive or prognostic biomarkers for metastatic pleural effusions. The investigators believe that intrapleural administration of bevacizumab will reduce the pleural vasculature permeability. It will neutralize VEGF present in pleural fluid and reduce the replenishment of effusion due to its prolonged half-life of 21 days. The investigators therefore propose a phase I study to determine the maximum tolerated dose and the recommended dose for phases II, studying the pharmacokinetics of intrapleural bevacizumab administered by an implantable device after evacuating a symptomatic metastatic pleurisy as part of a mammary carcinoma. The VEGF intrapleural levels and serum will be study and the time until a new puncture. Dyspnea will be evaluated as well as its impact on quality of life.

This randomized clinical trial studies how well genetic sequencing-informed targeted therapy works in treating patients with stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer. Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific types of tumor cells that may have less harm to normal cells. Genetic sequencing may help identify these specific types of tumor cells in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

In some patients with cancer there are also cancer cells in the abdominal cavity or between the lung membranes. These cancer cells create too much moisture in the abdominal cavity or between the lung membranes. If there is fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites fluid) this can bring on abdominal distension, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, bloating and sometimes wheezing. Too much fluid between the lung membranes (we call this pleural fluid) gives breathlessness, chest pain and coughing. The use of diuretics may offer a small group of patients symptom reduction. Additionally, the fluid can be drained through a needle puncture or fluid collection (through a biopsy). But usually, the moisture quickly returns. Previous research done in this hospital with cediranib showed that with some patients with cancer who suffered from fluid in the abdominal cavity or between the lung membranes, this moisture reduces while using this drug. It also reduced the symptoms caused by this excessive moisture. The current study is conducted to see whether patients with cancer and fluid in the abdominal cavity or fluid between the lung blades benefit from using cediranib. This involves not only whether the amount moisture reduces, but also if the complains decrease. In addition, we will carefully consider the possible side effects of cediranib.