Management of malignant pleural effusion.

A pleural effusion is a frequent complication of malignant disease. Essential to the care of oncology patients is a fundamental knowledge of the pathophysiology and treatment of such effusions. This article discusses the current thoughts concerning the occurrence of malignant effusions, outlines the current available methods and agents employed for control, and presents a modification of the thoracostomy procedure that appears to be more effective than the standard procedure.