[Intrapleural chemotherapy with cisplatin and adriamycin in lung cancer with carcinomatous pleuritis].

Seventeen patients with lung cancer who had malignant pleural effusion were intrapleurally treated with cisplatin and adriamycin. According to Koyama and Saito's criteria, ten patients showed complete response, four partial response and three no change. The overall survival from the beginning of treatment was 6.0 months (2.6+ -21.4 months). The survival in patients with complete response and performance status 2 + 3 was better than that in patients with partial response and performance status 4, respectively. Toxicities were minimal. The pharmacokinetics of intrapleural non-protein-bound platinum showed a mean half-life of 20.45 hours. Intrapleural chemotherapy with cisplatin and adriamycin thus seems to be an effective modality for lung cancer with carcinomatous pleuritis.