Malignant Pleural Effusions: Comparing Treatment Costs
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Malignant Pleural Effusions: Comparing Treatment Costs

ByAlex Strauss

An indwelling pleural catheter may be the most effective way to deal with malignant pleural effusions in mesothelioma patients, but it can also be very costly.  Spanish researchers reached that conclusion after evaluating four different studies including 152 patients.  Their analysis shows that IPCs do help people with malignant pleural effusions feel better. But the procedure tends to be more complicated in people with pleural mesothelioma. This can make it much more expensive for them.   The Problem of Malignant Pleural Effusions Malignant pleural effusions occur when fluid builds up between the layers of the pleural membrane surrounding the lungs. It is a common problem in people with advanced mesothelioma and several other types of cancer.  The fluid is a byproduct…

Pain a Sign of Successful Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma, Study Says
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Pain a Sign of Successful Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma, Study Says

ByAlex Strauss

A temporary increase in pain may be a sign of success when undergoing pleurodesis for mesothelioma-related lung fluid. An uncomfortable build-up of lung fluid is one of the most common and life-limiting mesothelioma symptoms.  Chemical pleurodesis is one way doctors treat the problem. About three out of four patients have good luck with pleurodesis for mesothelioma. Now, a new study from the UK suggests that those who have the best results with the procedure also tend to have the most pain afterward.  What is Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma? Pleural mesothelioma is a malignancy that starts in the layers of the pleura. The pleura is a membrane that surrounds the lungs.  When tumors grow in the pleural membrane, they can trigger a…

Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma: Hard to Predict Success
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Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma: Hard to Predict Success

ByAlex Strauss

Pleurodesis is a procedure often used to help relieve some of the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma, but there is still no way to predict how effective it will be in any individual patient. That is the conclusion of Australian researchers who performed a retrospective study on 390 mesothelioma patients enrolled in the Western Australian Mesothelioma Registry over 5 years. Just over 42% of those patients underwent pleurodesis. The procedure is used to reduce pleural effusions, the buildup of fluid between the layers of lung lining that can cause shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain. Pleurodesis for mesothelioma can be performed either surgically or chemically. Surgical pleurodesis involves mechanically irritating the parietal pleura, causing it to swell and adhere to the visceral…

Pleurodesis May Impact Mesothelioma Scan Results
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Pleurodesis May Impact Mesothelioma Scan Results

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma patients who undergo a procedure called talc pleurodesis (TP) for excess lung fluid may be harder to monitor with FDG-PET/CT scans afterward. Talc pleurodesis is a procedure used to manage pleura effusions, the build-up of fluid around the lungs that causes many of the most uncomfortable symptoms of malignant pleural mesothelioma. As a mesothelioma tumor spreads across the pleural lining, the body often produces fluid in response.  As this fluid fills up the pleural cavity between the mesothelial lining and the lungs it can cause pain and make it hard for the mesothelioma patient to breath. Draining the fluid and filling the space with medical-grade talc is one way to deal with the problem. But a new study suggests that…