Intracavitary Corynebacterium parvum for treatment of malignant effusions.

Intracavitary instillation of Corynebacterium parvum was used to treat recurrent malignant effusions in 15 patients. Eleven patients were treated for ascites, and four patients were treated for pleural effusion. Six patients (40%) had good response with no recurrence of effusions up to 3 months after treatment. Three patients responded but died before criteria for complete response could be fulfilled. Six patients were judged to have poor response, either because of death from tumor burden before evaluation could be made or because of recurrent effusions. There were no serious side effects directly attributed to intracavitary C. parvum therapy. Analysis of the results in this preliminary study suggests that patients who have had prior good response to chemotherapy, whose performance scale is adequate, whose tumor burden is not preterminal, and who have been previously treated with immunotherapy may be excellent candidates for definitive treatment of malignant effusions with intracavitary C. parvum.