Malignant pleural effusion

Anna Zasowska-Nowak

doi:10.5114/pm.2019.93182

eISSN: 2081-2833
ISSN: 2081-0016

Medycyna Paliatywna/Palliative Medicine

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4/2019
vol. 11

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abstract:

Review paper

Malignant pleural effusion

Anna Zasowska-Nowak

¹

Zakład Medycyny Paliatywnej, Katedra Onkologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi

Medycyna Paliatywna 2019; 11(4): 149–155

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2019.93182

Online publish date: 2020/03/04

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Malignant pleural effusion is a common problem in palliative care, observed in 15% of cancer patients, mainly in the course of lung cancer in men, breast cancer in women, and mesothelioma. This type of cancer complication is related to poor prognosis. Excessive fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity is caused by primary thoracic tumours or metastatic lesions in the chest and/or lymph nodes with destruction of lymphatic vessels, and also by cancer complications such as pneumonia or pulmonary thromboembolism. Relief of dyspnoea is the main goal in palliative care patients with malignant pleural effusion. Therapeutic thoracentesis is a treatment of choice; nevertheless, in some clinical situations more invasive procedures can be considered.

keywords:

Malignant pleural effusion

Anna Zasowska-Nowak 1

hydrothorax, malignant pleural effusion, cancer

Anna Zasowska-Nowak

¹