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American Journal of Respiratory and... Oct 2018This Guideline, a collaborative effort from the American Thoracic Society, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Society of Thoracic Radiology, aims to provide...
BACKGROUND
This Guideline, a collaborative effort from the American Thoracic Society, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Society of Thoracic Radiology, aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to guide contemporary management of patients with a malignant pleural effusion (MPE).
METHODS
A multidisciplinary panel developed seven questions using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcomes) format. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach and the Evidence to Decision framework was applied to each question. Recommendations were formulated, discussed, and approved by the entire panel.
RESULTS
The panel made weak recommendations in favor of: 1) using ultrasound to guide pleural interventions; 2) not performing pleural interventions in asymptomatic patients with MPE; 3) using either an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) or chemical pleurodesis in symptomatic patients with MPE and suspected expandable lung; 4) performing large-volume thoracentesis to assess symptomatic response and lung expansion; 5) using either talc poudrage or talc slurry for chemical pleurodesis; 6) using IPC instead of chemical pleurodesis in patients with nonexpandable lung or failed pleurodesis; and 7) treating IPC-associated infections with antibiotics and not removing the catheter.
CONCLUSIONS
These recommendations, based on the best available evidence, can guide management of patients with MPE and improve patient outcomes.
Topics: Catheters, Indwelling; Conservative Treatment; Drainage; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Male; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Pleurodesis; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Prognosis; Radiography, Thoracic; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Severity of Illness Index; Societies, Medical; Talc; Thoracentesis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30272503
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201807-1415ST -
Clinical and Translational Science Jun 2022The exact role of pleural effusion in the prognosis of cancer patients remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review the prognostic value of pleural effusion in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The exact role of pleural effusion in the prognosis of cancer patients remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review the prognostic value of pleural effusion in patients with cancer. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis with a systematic literature search. All cohort studies with available overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) results for patients with cancer with or without pleural effusion were included. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity and publication bias were examined. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed. A total of 47 studies with 146,117 patients were included in the analysis. For OS, pleural effusion was a prognostic factor associated with a poor prognosis for patients with cancer (HR, 1.58, 95% CI, 1.43-1.75; I 94.8%). In the subgroup analysis, pleural effusion was a prognostic factor associated with poor survival for patients with lung cancer (HR, 1.44, 95% CI, 1.35-1.54; I 60.8%), hematological cancer (HR, 2.79, 95% CI, 1.63-4.77; I 29.4%) and other types of cancer (HR, 2.08, 95% CI, 1.43-3.01; I 55.1%). For PFS, pleural effusion was a prognostic factor associated with a poor prognosis for patients with cancer (HR, 1.61, 95% CI, 1.28-2.03; I 42.9%). We also observed that massive pleural effusion was a prognostic factor associated with a poorer prognosis compared to minimal pleural effusion. Pleural effusion had prognostic value in both OS and PFS of patients with cancer, except for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, regardless of whether the malignant effusion was confirmed histologically or cytologically. However, future evidence of other pleural effusion characteristics is still needed.
Topics: Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Pleural Effusion; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models
PubMed: 35212454
DOI: 10.1111/cts.13260 -
Thorax Jan 2023Pleural fluid cytology is an important diagnostic test used for the investigation of pleural effusions. There is considerable variability in the reported sensitivity for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Pleural fluid cytology is an important diagnostic test used for the investigation of pleural effusions. There is considerable variability in the reported sensitivity for the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusions (MPE) in the literature.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review is to determine the diagnostic sensitivity of pleural fluid cytology for MPE, both overall and by tumour type, to better inform the decision-making process when investigating pleural effusions.
DATA SOURCES
A literature search of EMBASE and MEDLINE was performed by four reviewers. Articles satisfying inclusion criteria were evaluated for bias using the QUADAS-2 tool.
DATA EXTRACTION
For quantitative analysis, we performed a metaanalysis using a binary random-effects model to determine pooled sensitivity. Subgroup analysis was performed based on primary cancer site and meta-regression by year of publication.
SYNTHESIS
Thirty-six studies with 6057 patients with MPE were included in the meta-analysis. The overall diagnostic sensitivity of pleural fluid cytology for MPE was 58.2% (95% CI 52.5% to 63.9%; range 20.5%-86.0%). There was substantial heterogeneity present among studies (I 95.5%). For primary thoracic malignancies, sensitivity was highest in lung adenocarcinoma (83.6%; 95% CI 77.7% to 89.6%) and lowest in lung squamous cell carcinoma (24.2%; 95% CI 17.0% to 31.5%) and mesothelioma (28.9%; 95% CI 16.2% to 41.5%). For malignancies with extrathoracic origin, sensitivity was high for ovarian cancer (85.2%; 95% CI 74.2% to 96.1%) and modest for breast cancer (65.3%; 95% CI 49.8% to 80.8%).
CONCLUSIONS
Pleural fluid cytology has an overall sensitivity of 58.2% for the diagnosis of MPE. Clinicians should be aware of the high variability in diagnostic sensitivity by primary tumour type as well as the potential reasons for false-negative cytology results.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021231473.
Topics: Humans; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Pleura; Mesothelioma; Pleural Effusion; Lung Neoplasms; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 35110369
DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217959 -
The European Respiratory Journal Jun 2020The European Respiratory Society (ERS)/European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)/European Society for...
The European Respiratory Society (ERS)/European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)/European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) task force brought together experts to update previous 2009 ERS/ESTS guidelines on management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare cancer with globally poor outcome, after a systematic review of the 2009-2018 literature. The evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. The evidence syntheses were discussed and recommendations formulated by this multidisciplinary group of experts. Diagnosis: pleural biopsies remain the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis, usually obtained by thoracoscopy but occasionally image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy in cases of pleural symphysis or poor performance status. Pathology: standard staining procedures are insufficient in ∼10% of cases, justifying the use of specific markers, including and () for the separation of atypical mesothelial proliferation from MPM. Staging: in the absence of a uniform, robust and validated staging system, we advise using the most recent 2016 8th TNM (tumour, node, metastasis) classification, with an algorithm for pre-therapeutic assessment. Monitoring: patient's performance status, histological subtype and tumour volume are the main prognostic factors of clinical importance in routine MPM management. Other potential parameters should be recorded at baseline and reported in clinical trials. Treatment: (chemo)therapy has limited efficacy in MPM patients and only selected patients are candidates for radical surgery. New promising targeted therapies, immunotherapies and strategies have been reviewed. Because of limited data on the best combination treatment, we emphasise that patients who are considered candidates for a multimodal approach, including radical surgery, should be treated as part of clinical trials in MPM-dedicated centres.
Topics: Humans; Medical Oncology; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Pleural Neoplasms; Surgeons
PubMed: 32451346
DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00953-2019 -
Physiological Reports Dec 2016Conventional methods may fail to identify the cause of pleural effusion (PE), thus establishing reliable biomarkers is deemed necessary. This study aimed at examining... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Conventional methods may fail to identify the cause of pleural effusion (PE), thus establishing reliable biomarkers is deemed necessary. This study aimed at examining the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a biomarker in the differentiation between malignant and benign PEs in adults. A comprehensive literature search in PubMed (Medline), Scopus (ELSEVIER), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases was conducted using keywords. We included studies that evaluated pleural and/or serum levels of VEGF among patients presenting with undiagnosed PE and the association between these levels and the final diagnosis. We performed a meta-analysis to calculate the summary effect using the random effects model. Statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package for meta-analysis Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Twenty studies were included in the systematic review, while 11 of them in the meta-analysis. Pleural fluid VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased by 1.93 ng/mL as compared to patients with benign PE (95% CI: 1.32-2.54, Q = 173, df (Q): 10, I = 94.2%, P < 0.05). Serum VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased respectively by 1.90 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.93-2.88, Q = 182, df (Q): 6, I = 96.7%, P < 0.05). This study showed that malignant PEs were associated with higher levels of both pleural fluid and serum VEGF VEGF appears to represent a promising biomarker for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant PEs.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Female; Humans; Male; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
PubMed: 28039396
DOI: 10.14814/phy2.12978 -
Lung Cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Feb 2014Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease of the pleural lining with a dismal prognosis. Surgical treatments of MPM with a curative intent include... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease of the pleural lining with a dismal prognosis. Surgical treatments of MPM with a curative intent include extrapleural pneumonectomy and extended pleurectomy/decortication (P/D). This meta-analysis aimed to compare the perioperative and long-term outcomes of EPP and extended P/D for selected surgical candidates.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was performed on six electronic databases to identify all relevant data on comparative outcomes of extended P/D and EPP in a multimodality setting. Endpoints included perioperative mortality and morbidity, as well as long-term overall survival.
RESULTS
Seven relevant studies with comparative data on EPP (n=632) versus extended P/D (n=513) were identified from the current literature. Comparison of these two groups demonstrated significantly lower perioperative mortality (2.9% vs. 6.8%, p=0.02) and morbidity (27.9% vs. 62.0%, p<0.0001) for patients who underwent extended P/D compared to EPP. Median overall survival ranged between 13-29 months for extended P/D and 12-22 months for EPP, with a trend favouring extended P/D.
CONCLUSIONS
Although it must be emphasized that patient selection and treatment strategies differ between EPP and extended P/D, a number of comparative studies have recently been conducted to compare these two surgical techniques for patients with resectable MPM. The present study indicated that selected patients who underwent extended P/D had lower perioperative morbidity and mortality with similar, if not superior, long-term survival compared to EPP, in the context of multi-modality therapy. This may represent an important paradigm shift in the surgical management of MPM.
Topics: Clinical Trials as Topic; Combined Modality Therapy; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Perioperative Period; Pleura; Pleural Neoplasms; Pneumonectomy; Survival Analysis; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 24360321
DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2013.11.026 -
American Journal of Clinical Oncology Aug 2010Malignant pleural effusion is a frequent complication in many types of tumors, and its presence indicates short expected survival. This review updates the current... (Review)
Review
Malignant pleural effusion is a frequent complication in many types of tumors, and its presence indicates short expected survival. This review updates the current knowledge about diagnosis and management of malignant pleural effusion. In recent years, progress has been made in diagnosis through the use of new pathologic and radiologic approaches, such as the introduction of positron emission tomography-computed tomography, immunohistochemical marker combinations, and genetic studies to identify malignant cells. Treatment is always palliative. New promising drugs have been tested, but, awaiting randomized studies, talc pleurodesis is still the treatment of choice, although doubts remain about its safety. A long-term indwelling pleural catheter could be a valid alternative to talc pleurodesis in selected patients with trapped lung syndrome (a lung that fails to reexpand after drainage of pleural effusion) and short life expectancy. However, the correct treatment depends on several factors such as performance status, expected survival, presence of lung reexpansion following pleural drainage and comorbidities.
Topics: Biopsy; Catheters, Indwelling; Humans; Lung; Lung Compliance; Neoplasms; Palliative Care; Pleura; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Pleurodesis; Survival Analysis
PubMed: 19858695
DOI: 10.1097/COC.0b013e3181aacbbf -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Apr 2020Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common problem for people with cancer and usually associated with considerable breathlessness. A number of treatment options are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common problem for people with cancer and usually associated with considerable breathlessness. A number of treatment options are available to manage the uncontrolled accumulation of pleural fluid, including administration of a pleurodesis agent (via a chest tube or thoracoscopy) or placement of an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC). This is an update of a review published in Issue 5, 2016, which replaced the original, published in 2004.
OBJECTIVES
To ascertain the optimal management strategy for adults with malignant pleural effusion in terms of pleurodesis success and to quantify differences in patient-reported outcomes and adverse effects between interventions.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid) and three other databases to June 2019. We screened reference lists from other relevant publications and searched trial registries.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials of intrapleural interventions for adults with symptomatic MPE, comparing types of sclerosant, mode of administration and IPC use.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently extracted data on study design, characteristics, outcome measures, potential effect modifiers and risk of bias. The primary outcome was pleurodesis failure rate. Secondary outcomes were adverse events, patient-reported breathlessness control, quality of life, cost, mortality, survival, duration of inpatient stay and patient acceptability. We performed network meta-analyses of primary outcome data and secondary outcomes with enough data. We also performed pair-wise meta-analyses of direct comparison data. If we deemed interventions not jointly randomisable, or we found insufficient available data, we reported results by narrative synthesis. For the primary outcome, we performed sensitivity analyses to explore potential causes of heterogeneity and to evaluate pleurodesis agents administered via a chest tube only. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified 80 randomised trials (18 new), including 5507 participants. We found all except three studies at high or unclear risk of bias for at least one domain. Due to the nature of the interventions, most studies were unblinded. Pleurodesis failure rate We included 55 studies of 21 interventions in the primary network meta-analysis. We estimated the rank of each intervention's effectiveness. Talc slurry (ranked 6, 95% credible interval (Cr-I) 3 to 10) is an effective pleurodesis agent (moderate certainty for comparison with placebo) and may result in fewer pleurodesis failures than bleomycin and doxycycline (bleomycin versus talc slurry: odds ratio (OR) 2.24, 95% Cr-I 1.10 to 4.68; low certainty; ranked 11, 95% Cr-I 7 to 15; doxycycline versus talc slurry: OR 2.51, 95% Cr-I 0.81 to 8.40; low certainty; ranked 12, 95% Cr-I 5 to 18). There is little evidence of a difference between the pleurodesis failure rate of talc poudrage and talc slurry (OR 0.50, 95% Cr-I 0.21 to 1.02; moderate certainty). Evidence for any difference was further reduced when restricting analysis to studies at low risk of bias (defined as maximum one high risk domain in the risk of bias assessment) (pleurodesis failure talc poudrage versus talc slurry: OR 0.78, 95% Cr-I 0.16 to 2.08). IPCs without daily drainage are probably less effective at obtaining a definitive pleurodesis (cessation of pleural fluid drainage facilitating IPC removal) than talc slurry (OR 7.60, 95% Cr-I 2.96 to 20.47; rank = 18/21, 95% Cr-I 13 to 21; moderate certainty). Daily IPC drainage or instillation of talc slurry via IPC are likely to reduce pleurodesis failure rates. Adverse effects Adverse effects were inconsistently reported. We performed network meta-analyses for the risk of procedure-related fever and pain. The evidence for risk of developing fever was of low certainty, but suggested there may be little difference between interventions relative to talc slurry (talc poudrage: OR 0.89, 95% Cr-I 0.11 to 6.67; bleomycin: OR 2.33, 95% Cr-I 0.45 to 12.50; IPCs: OR 0.41, 95% Cr-I 0.00 to 50.00; doxycycline: OR 0.85, 95% Cr-I 0.05 to 14.29). Evidence also suggested there may be little difference between interventions in the risk of developing procedure-related pain, relative to talc slurry (talc poudrage: OR 1.26, 95% Cr-I 0.45 to 6.04; very-low certainty; bleomycin: OR 2.85, 95% Cr-I 0.78 to 11.53; low certainty; IPCs: OR 1.30, 95% Cr-I 0.29 to 5.87; low certainty; doxycycline: OR 3.35, 95% Cr-I 0.64 to 19.72; low certainty). Patient-reported control of breathlessness Pair-wise meta-analysis suggests there is likely no difference in breathlessness control, relative to talc slurry, of talc poudrage ((mean difference (MD) 4.00 mm, 95% CI -6.26 to 14.26) on a 100 mm visual analogue scale for breathlessness; studies = 1; participants = 184; moderate certainty) and IPCs without daily drainage (MD -6.12 mm, 95% CI -16.32 to 4.08; studies = 2; participants = 160; low certainty). Overall mortality There may be little difference between interventions when compared to talc slurry (bleomycin and IPC without daily drainage; low certainty) but evidence is uncertain for talc poudrage and doxycycline. Patient acceptability Pair-wise meta-analysis demonstrated that IPCs probably result in a reduced risk of requiring a repeat invasive pleural intervention (OR 0.25, 95% Cr-I 0.13 to 0.48; moderate certainty) relative to talc slurry. There is likely little difference in the risk of repeat invasive pleural intervention with talc poudrage relative to talc slurry (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.56; moderate certainty).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Based on the available evidence, talc poudrage and talc slurry are effective methods for achieving a pleurodesis, with lower failure rates than a number of other commonly used interventions. IPCs provide an alternative approach; whilst associated with inferior definitive pleurodesis rates, comparable control of breathlessness can probably be achieved, with a lower risk of requiring repeat invasive pleural intervention. Local availability, global experience of agents and adverse events (which may not be identified in randomised trials) and patient preference must be considered when selecting an intervention. Further research is required to delineate the roles of different treatments according to patient characteristics, such as presence of trapped lung. Greater attention to patient-centred outcomes, including breathlessness, quality of life and patient preference is essential to inform clinical decision-making. Careful consideration to minimise the risk of bias and standardise outcome measures is essential for future trial design.
Topics: Adult; Bleomycin; Doxycycline; Dyspnea; Fever; Humans; Iodine; Network Meta-Analysis; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Pleurodesis; Quinacrine; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Talc; Treatment Failure
PubMed: 32315458
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010529.pub3 -
Oncotarget Dec 2016Several studies have investigated the diagnostic value of fibulin-3 for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), but the results were various. Therefore, we performed a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Several studies have investigated the diagnostic value of fibulin-3 for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), but the results were various. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of fibulin-3 for MPM.
RESULTS
Eight studies were included in this work. The overall sensitivity of blood fibulin-3 were 0.87 (95% CI, 0.58 - 0.97) and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.77 - 0.95), respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of PF fibulin-3 for MPM were 0.73 (95% CI, 0.54 - 0.86) and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.60 - 0.91), respectively. The area under curve of blood and pleural effusion (PF) Fibulin-3 were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91 - 0.96) 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79 - 0.86), respectively.
METHODS
PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched up to July 29, 2016 to verify studies investigating the diagnostic value of fibulin-3 for MPM. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using the revised Quality Assessment for Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy tool (QUADAS-2). The overall sensitivity and specificity were pooled using a bivariate model.
CONCLUSION
Fibuoin-3 is a useful diagnostic marker for MPM.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Extracellular Matrix Proteins; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Pleural Neoplasms; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 27769044
DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12707 -
Medicine Feb 2022Pleural effusion is characterized by excessive fluid collection in the pleural cavity. Black pleural effusion (BPE) is a rare entity with only limited scientific data....
BACKGROUND
Pleural effusion is characterized by excessive fluid collection in the pleural cavity. Black pleural effusion (BPE) is a rare entity with only limited scientific data. We aimed to review the current literature on black pleural effusion to characterize demographics, etiology, clinical presentation, pathological findings, available treatment strategies, and prognosis of this rare condition.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review of case reports and series and synthesized data on demographics, manifestations, management, and outcomes of patients with BPE. We searched Cochrane Library, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar for any date until January 10, 2021. All studies (n = 31) that reported black pleural effusion in patients were added to the review. Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration number: CRD42020213839. Summary and descriptive analysis was performed on Jamovi version 1.2.
RESULTS
The mean age of 32 patients with BPE was 53 years, with male predominance (69%). The commonest risk factor was smoking (n = 9) followed by alcohol intake (n = 8). Dyspnea was the commonest symptom (n = 24, 75%). Pleural fluid was mostly exudative (n = 21). The commonest associated diagnosis was malignancy (n = 14), with 50% secondary to metastatic melanoma. The commonest intervention was therapeutic thoracocentesis (n = 25, 78%), and the effusion recurred in half of the cases where recurrence was reported (n = 13). In our review, we found the mortality rate to be at 20.8% (n = 20.8%). 58.3% of the patients were successfully treated and discharged home (n = 14).
CONCLUSION
Although rare, BPE appears to be a relevant symptom as it seems to be frequently associated with modifiable risk factors and underlying malignancy. Our systematic review substantiates a vital research gap as observational research is imperative to characterize BPE further and form a basis for designing tailored diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic strategies for BPE.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Exudates and Transudates; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Pleural Effusion; Prognosis
PubMed: 35212269
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000028130