Cisplatin and cytarabine administered intrapleurally as treatment of malignant pleural effusions

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
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 (10−2M). Sodium thiosulfate was simultaneously administered intravenously to protect against cisplatin‐induced nephrotoxicity. There was no local toxocity 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 (> 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.