Intracavitary chemotherapy with thiotepa in malignant pericardial effusions: an active and well-tolerated regimen.

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 2371-2376 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Colleoni ◽  
G Martinelli ◽  
F Beretta ◽  
C Marone ◽  
A Gallino ◽  
...  

PURPOSE Malignant pericardial effusion, although highly variable, is an uncommon complication of cancer. It is often associated with symptoms like dyspnea, chest pain, and cough, which may be severe and disabling. We analyzed the results of our current treatment policy to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerance of a new approach for this disorder. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with malignant pericardial effusions were treated with intracavitary thiotepa (15 mg on days 1, 3, and 5) through an indwelling pericardial cannula after extraction of as much pericardial fluid as possible on day 0. Responses were assessed by clinical examination, computed tomographic (CT) scan, and echocardiography before treatment, 1 month after treatment, and every 2 months thereafter. Twenty-three patients with malignant symptomatic pericardial effusion were treated and all were assessable for effectiveness and tolerance of the procedure. RESULTS Nine patients with breast cancer, 11 with lung cancer, two with an unknown primary tumor, and one with metastatic melanoma were treated. In all but three patients, systemic medical treatment was started after completion of intracavitary therapy. Nineteen patients responded to treatment (83%; 95% confidence interval, 61% to 95%) with a rapid improvement of symptoms. The median time to pericardial effusion progression was 8.9 months (range, 1 to 26). No significant side effects were registered, except one patient who had transient grade III thrombocytopenia and leukopenia and one patient who had grade I leukopenia. CONCLUSION A short course of intracavitary treatment with thiotepa is highly effective and well tolerated in the treatment of malignant pericardial effusion.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 2050313X2110360
Author(s):  
Lardinois Benjamin ◽  
Goeminne Jean-Charles ◽  
Miller Laurence ◽  
Randazzo Adrien ◽  
Laurent Terry ◽  
...  

Immune-related adverse events including cardiac toxicity are increasingly described in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. We described a malignant pericardial effusion complicated by a cardiac tamponade in an advanced non-small cell lung cancer patient who had received five infusions of atezolizumab, a PDL-1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with cabozantinib. The definitive diagnosis was quickly made by cytology examination showing typical cell abnormalities and high fluorescence cell information provided by the hematology analyzer. The administration of atezolizumab and cabozantinib was temporarily discontinued due to cardiogenic hepatic failure following cardiac tamponade. After the re-initiation of the treatment, pericardial effusion relapsed. In this patient, the analysis of the pericardial fluid led to the final diagnosis of pericardial tumor progression. This was afterwards confirmed by the finding of proliferating intrapericardial tissue by computed tomography scan and ultrasound. This report emphasizes the value of cytology analysis performed in a hematology laboratory as an accurate and immediate tool for malignancy detection in pericardial effusions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. e53-e55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Hwan Han ◽  
Kwang Kon Koh ◽  
Sang Jin Lee ◽  
Jong Gu Seo ◽  
Su Jin Choi ◽  
...  

1984 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 631-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Davis ◽  
P Rambotti ◽  
F Grignani

Thirty-three unselected patients with cardiac tamponade secondary to malignant pericardial effusion were treated by intrapericardial instillation of tetracycline hydrochloride. Complete control of the initial signs and symptoms of tamponade was obtained in 30 patients without concomitant chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The procedure did not result in clinically significant complications. Failure of the technique was related to premature removal of the catheter by the patient (one patient) or the inability to totally remove hemorrhagic, clot-filled pericardial fluid (two patients). Survival ranged between 28-704 days and extended survival was related to the performance status and/or chemoradiosensitivity of the primary cancer. No patient successfully treated subsequently developed recurrent cardiac tamponade or alternatively, constrictive pericarditis. Tetracycline pericardial instillation remains a safe, simple, and efficacious treatment of tamponade secondary to malignant disease.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Sultan Mahmud ◽  
Omar Sadeque Khan ◽  
Md. Aftabuddin ◽  
Asit Baran Adhikary

We present a case of 35 years old women who presented to our institution with a history of bilateral infiltrating duct cell carcinoma of breast, chest pain with heaviness, severe respiratory distress and hypotension. Echocardiography revealed massive pericardial effusion with features of cardiac tamponade. The patient was treated with urgent pericardiocentesis followed by subxiphoid pericardial window drainage of 500ml of haemorrhagic pericardial fluid. Cytological examina­tion confirmed the previous suspicious of malignancy. The patient tolerated the procedure very well, immediate sympto­matic relief was observed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Szturmowicz ◽  
W. Tomkowski ◽  
A. Fijalkowska ◽  
W. Kupis ◽  
A. Cieślik ◽  
...  

A positive cytology result in pericardial fluid is the gold standard for recognition of malignant pericardial effusion. Unfortunately, in 30–50% of patients with malignant pericardial effusion cytological examination of the pericardial fluid is negative. Tumor marker assessment in pericardial fluid may help to recognize malignant pericardial effusion. The aim of our study was to estimate the value of CYFRA 21-1 and CEA measurement in pericardial fluid for the recognition of malignant pericardial effusion. To our knowledge this is the first study on CYFRA 21-1 assessment in pericardial effusion. The examined group consisted of 50 patients with malignant pericardial effusion and 34 patients with non-malignant pericardial effusion. Median CEA concentrations in malignant pericardial effusion and non-malignant pericardial effusion were 80 ng/mL (0–317) and 0.5 ng/mL (0–18.4), respectively (p<0.001). Median CYFRA 21-1 concentrations in malignant pericardial effusion and non-malignant pericardial effusion were 260 ng/mL (5.3–10080) and 22.4 ng/mL (1.87–317.6), respectively (p<0.001). The optimal cutoff value for CYFRA 21-1 in pericardial effusion was 100 ng/mL. CYFRA 21-1 >100 ng/mL or CEA >5 ng/mL were found in 14/15 patients with malignant pericardial effusion and negative pericardial fluid cytology. We therefore strongly recommend the use of CYFRA 21-1 and/or CEA in addition to pericardial fluid cytology for the recognition of malignant pericardial effusion.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-183
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kalogeraki ◽  
George Lazopoulos ◽  
Georgios Z. Papadakis ◽  
Dimitrios Tamiolakis ◽  
Iliana Karvela-Kalogeraki ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. Malignant pericardial effusion occurs in one tenth of all cancers. It is a very serious disorder that is mainly a secondary process due to metastasis because primary neoplasms of the pericardium such as mesotheliomas, sarcomas being exceedingly rare. Pericardial effusions with a cardiac tamponade constitute a surgical emergency and the pericardiocentesis represents the first class therapeutic recommendation. Pericardial effusion specimens are uncommon and to the best of our knowledge the current study is the largest systematic evaluation of pericardial fluid cytology performed to date. Material and Methods. Pericardial effusion specimens from 145 patients collected over a 10 year period were studied by cytology and results were compared with pericardial histology results. The minimum pericardial fluid volume used for adequate cytologic diagnosis in these patients was more than 60 mL. Results. Cytological diagnosis revealed malignant pericardial exudates in 100% of the studied patients. There was no any false negative result in comparison with histology. Conclusions. Cytology provides an immediate and accurate means of diagnosis. Immunocytology is very important in the diagnostic evaluation.


1997 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 244-246
Author(s):  
Raju S Iyer ◽  
Sanjeev Agarwal ◽  
Bharadwaja Vamaraju ◽  
Srinivasu Kola ◽  
Srinivas Bhavanarushi ◽  
...  

A 35-year-old male underwent emergency pericardiectomy for repeated tamponade. A computed tomography scan of the thorax showed a consolidated lung lesion with pleural effusion. Emergency aspiration removed hemorrhagic pericardial fluid and straw colored pleural effusion. Both fluids tested negative for malignant cells. He later underwent a pneumonectomy after a biopsy revealed carcinoma of the lung. The case is reported to illustrate this rare presentation of bronchoalveolar carcinoma.


1985 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 1678-1682 ◽  
Author(s):  
F A Shepherd ◽  
J S Ginsberg ◽  
W K Evans ◽  
J G Scott ◽  
F Oleksiuk

Twenty-two patients with malignant pericardial effusion were seen at the Toronto General Hospital between 1979 and 1984. Under ECG monitoring, an indwelling Kifa catheter was inserted into the pericardial sac and then connected to a Hemovac system and allowed to drain for 12 to 24 hours. Xylocaine hydrochloride, 100 mg, was first instilled intrapericardially, followed by tetracycline hydrochloride, 500 to 1,000 mg, dissolved in 20 mL normal saline. The catheter was clamped for one to two hours and then allowed to drain into the Hemovac. This procedure was repeated every 24 to 48 hours until the net drainage was less than 25 mL/24 hours. Nine men and 13 women were treated (median age, 55 years). The primary malignancy included lung in 15 patients, breast in two patients, and carcinoma of the stomach, ovary, pleural mesothelioma, chronic granulocytic leukemia, and adenocarcinoma of unknown primary in one patient each. Twenty patients received one to five instillations of tetracycline. In one patient the catheter could not be inserted into the pericardial sac, and in one patient the catheter clotted before tetracycline instillation. Minor complications included transient arrhythmia in two patients, postinjection pain in four patients, and self-limited temperature elevation greater than 38.5 degrees C in two patients. fifteen patients had good control of their malignant pericardial effusion for more than 30 days (median survival, 160 days; range, 38 to 275 days). Three patients died before 30 days without evidence of effusion, and no patient surviving longer than 30 days developed recurrent effusion or pericardial constriction. Intrapericardial tetracycline instillation is a safe and efficacious treatment for malignant pericardial effusion and should be considered the first treatment modality in this situation.


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