Mitomycin chemotherapeutic pleurodesis to palliate malignant pleural effusions secondary to gynecological cancer.
BACKGROUND
To assess the efficacy of mitomycin pleurodesis in women with end stage malignant effusion.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


RESULTS
Of the 13 patients treated six had ovarian, six had endometrial and one had cervical adenocarcinoma. The median time of onset of effusion from diagnosis of primary disease was 12 months (range 1-75). Ten patients were evaluable for response. The median age of the patients was 59 years (range 42 to 74). Ten (77%) of them had repeated thoracocentesis prior to mitomycin pleurodesis. The median duration and volume of drainage was 4 days (range 2-11) and 3.1 liters (range 1.2-10.2) respectively. One of two patients developed a pneumothorax and required the insertion of an additional chest drain. Overall, seven patients (70%) responded - one completely (CR) and six partially (PR), while three did not respond. Four of five patients with ovarian cancer had a partial response, two of four patients with endometrial cancer (one CR and one PR) responded. The only patient with cervical cancer had a partial response. Nine patients (69%) had enough symptomatic improvement to be discharged home. The drug cost of bleomycin 60 units (US$191), another commonly used agent, was more than twice as expensive as mitomycin 30 mg (US$84).


CONCLUSIONS
Mitomycin pleurodesis can palliate 70% of patients for at least 1 month. It offers cheap and effective palliation. There is a suggestion that patients' quality of life is improved.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010166:Palliative Care; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018700:Pleurodesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies