title: Cisplatin and cytarabine administered intrapleurally as treatment of malignant pleural effusions.
abstract: Eight patients with histologically-documented malignant pleural effusions received a total of ten courses of intrapleurally administered chemotherapy with cisplatin (100 mg/m2) and cytarabine (10(-2) M). Sodium thiosulfate was simultaneously administered intravenously to protect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. There was no local toxicity observed and the only significant systemic toxicity (bone marrow depression) developed in a patient with poor marrow reserve prior to the initiation of therapy. Six of seven evaluable patients exhibited major reductions (greater than 75%) in the size of their effusions lasting for 2 to 10 plus months (median: 4 months). We conclude that the intrapleural administration of this chemotherapy regimen results in objective and subjective improvement in patients with malignant pleural effusions with minimal local and systemic toxicity (except for cisplatin-induced emesis) and does not require chest tube drainage or prolonged hospitalization.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D002945:Cisplatin