Talc in Treating Patients With Malignant Pleural Effusion

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2006-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Talc may relieve malignant pleural effusion. It is not yet known whether wet talc is more effective than dry talc in treating patients with malignant pleural effusion.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of wet talc with dry talc in treating patients with malignant pleural effusion.

• Phase: Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
• Collaborators: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; National Cancer Institute (NCI); North Central Cancer Treatment Group; Radiation Therapy Oncology Group

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Unilateral malignant pleural effusion requiring sclerosis (as judged by the attending surgeon) At least 3 months since treatment of contralateral effusion No chylous effusion

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy:

More than 2 months Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Other: Able to undergo thoracoscopy under general or local anesthesia (as determined by the attending surgeon) Not pregnant Tests and observations must be completed within 1 week prior to randomization (chest x-ray within 1 week prior to procedure)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: No prior intrapleural therapy No systemic therapy within 2 weeks prior to randomization or 2 weeks post pleurodesis Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No new systemic chemotherapy for 2 weeks prior to and at least 2 weeks after pleurodesis Endocrine therapy: No new hormonal therapy for 2 weeks prior to and at least 2 weeks after pleurodesis No concurrent steroids used as antiemetics Radiotherapy: Prior radiotherapy allowed No radiotherapy to entire hemithorax Palliative irradiation of symptomatic bone lesions allowed on the affected side if field does not include a significant portion of pleura Surgery: See Disease Characteristics