Evaluation of Intrapleural Chemotherapy with Cisplatin in Iranian Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion

Background: Malignant pleural effusion is a common disorder in patients suffering from advancedcancer. The short-lived survivals of this disease may be compromised by malignant pleuraleffusion. As these effusions can be resistant to the current treatment such as systemicchemotherapy, pleurodesis with sclerosant agents and recurrent drainage, new therapeutic optionsare required. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intrapleural chemotherapy withCisplatin in order to manage malignant pleural effusion in lung, breast and mesothelioma cancers.Materials and Methods:Twenty-one cancerous patients with malignant pleural effusionparticipated in this study. They all received Cisplatin through a catheter at a dose of 30mg /m2. Thevery procedure was performed 3 times in two-week intervals. Patients were monitored for sideeffects and responses to the treatment every two weeks and also one month after the last procedure.Results: Among 18 accessible patients, 9 (50%) had completed response and 4 (22.2%) had partialresponse (overall response rate 72.2%). Overall, dyspnea was improved in 13 patients (72.2%) andno improvement was observed in five (27.8%) patients. None of the patients had side effects ofgrade 3 and 4.Conclusion: In this study, the safety and effectiveness of intrapleural chemotherapy with cisplatinin the management of patients with MPE in lung, breast and mesothelioma cancers were observed.