Intracavitary beta-interferon for the management of pleural and/or abdominal effusions in patients with advanced cancer refractory to chemotherapy.
Twenty-three cancer patients with pleural and/or abdominal effusion refractory to chemotherapy were treated with intracavitary beta-interferon after drainage. The overall response rate at 30 days was 35% for the whole group of patients, 25% for those with pleural effusion, and 40% for those with ascites. In 15 patients the mean time to re-accumulation of fluid after drainage only was 8.7 days, while it approached 30.3 days after intracavitary beta-interferon. This difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.001). The treatment was well tolerated with only mild and transient pain in 3 cases.
Gebbia
V
V
Section of Clinical Oncology, University of Palermo, Italy.
Russo
A
A
Gebbia
N
N
Valenza
R
R
Testa
A
A
Palmeri
S
S
Rausa
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016899:Interferon-beta