An international team of scientists hope to finally answer the question of the frequency of mesothelioma patients with pleural effusion should have their indwelling pleural catheters drained.indwelling pleural catheters (IPCS) is a new way to treat bothersome symptoms of mesothelioma caused by excess fluid in the space around the lungs.
pleural effusion, as excess fluid is called, is a common side effect of pleural mesothelioma and several other types of cancer.
The most frequent symptom of pleural effusion is dyspnea or shortness of breath, but it can also cause chest pain and fatigue.
Patients with mesothelioma and pleural effusionindwelling pleural catheters are not the only way to deal with pleural effusion in patients with mesothelioma.
A procedure called pleurodesis involves the use of talc or a chemical irritant to help fill the space where fluid collects so that no new fluid can build up there.
Pleurodesis is a serious procedure with its own set of risks and should be repeated sometimes.
Another method to remove pleural effusion in mesothelioma patients is to draw with a needle.
Although effective, this process must be repeated when fluid builds up again, as it does inevitably.
Because they remain in place, IPCs offer an easier and, some believe, more safely to regularly drain the lung fluid, either in the clinic or by the patient at home.
CPI Drainage - How much is enough?But mesothelioma experts remain divided on the frequency IPCs must be drained.
daily drainage can be expensive if done in the clinic and may increase the risk of certain complications.
Instead, some experts recommend drainage only when the mesothelioma patient develops symptoms, which might be even weekly or monthly.
Protocol Malignant pleural effusions Australasian-2 (2-SPACIOUS) test is to help determine the optimal schedule CPI drainage for maximum safety, efficiency and relieving symptoms for people with mesothelioma and other cancers.
Patients with malignant pleural effusion will be randomized to have either asymptomatic or daily guided drainage regimes after the CPI insertion.
"The main result is the average daily dyspnea score measured by a visual analog scale (100 mm VAS) during the first 60 days," says lead researcher Dr Maree Azzopardi of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.
The team also plans to assess the impact of CPI drainage program on physical activity levels, the spontaneous pleurodesis rates, days of hospitalization, the cost of health care, complications and quality of life.
The results will be published in journals peer reviewed.
