title: Treating carcinomatous pleural effusion by intrapleural injection of OK-432 in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: The effect of intrapleural injection of OK-432, a streptococcal preparation, for management of carcinomatous pleural effusion was investigated in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Ten patients, including 5 men and 5 women with performance status 2-3(ECOG) and average age of 66.4 years, received OK-432 for different times after the tumor burden in effusion was relieved with adequate drainage. The response rate was 100% in terms of decreased reaccumulation of pleural fluid, improvement of general status, and disappearance of tumor cells in the fluid. The adverse effects of this treatment were mild-including fever, chills, chest pain and nausea-and all were tolerable to patients. Median survival time was 4.5 months after treatment. This preliminary report indicates that intrapleural injection of OK-432 is an effective alternate method for management of carcinomatous pleural effusion to improve the quality of life for terminally ill cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010844:Picibanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010844:Picibanil