Abstract

Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusions with Intrapleural Bleomycin Between January 1997 and March 1999, intrapleural bleomycin (1U/kg) was administered to 35 patients with malignant pleural effusions. Patients who were not appropriate to receive systemic chemotherapy or did not benefit from the treatment and whose life expectancy was a month or more were eligible for this study. Seventeen patients were female and 18 were male. Mean age was 57.6±15.9. Tube thoracostomy was performed to 25 patients, and the rest 10 were treated with repeated thoracocentesis. Seven patients continued receiving systemic chemotherapy due to primary tumor response. Response was evaluated one month later. Total response rate was 75% (complete response 37.5%). No statistical difference was observed between the patients who received systemic chemotherapy after pleurodesis and the ones who did not receive any chemotherapy (85.7%, 72%, p >0.05). The most common side effects were tolerable pleuritic pain and fever.