My husband had a pleural effusion last January and was hospitalized to have biopsies and a Pleurx drain placed. 9 liters were drained in hospital and I drained about 2-3 more liters when he came home over 3 weeks. Week 4 there was no longer any fluid. However he was started on immunotherapy (opdivo/yervoy combo) a week after leaving the hospital. So that combined with the PleurX dried up the pleural effusion and it was removed 5 weeks after diagnosis/biopsies/drain placement. He has been on this immunotherapy for a year and done remarkably well. No more effusion and the Mesothelioma has reduced somewhat (lower right lung) and all prior symptoms (cough, chest pain, fatigue, chills etc.) are no longer present. He was diagnosed and is being treated at Mayo Rochester Mn. We chose to immediately relocate here upon his diagnosis. His oncologist also enrolled him in a 5 day proton beam radiation trial that worked in conjunction with the immunotherapy. That was in May of last year and scans indicated a reduction of the Mesothelioma afterward.
Mayo has been such a blessing in his expedient care (and with other issues arising from his immune compromised state). I know we made the best decision to sell our home and relocate. He’s doing well. He has scans every 3 months and will have another in March. Also Mayo screened his lab and biopsy tissues for potential Car T cell therapy. He is genetic markers were comparable so now if immunotherapy fails we move to that therapy. His oncologist stated chemo therapy would be a last choice. He was not a surgical candidate. His oncologist stated surgery would decrease the quality of life in his case. He has Biphasic pleural Mesothelioma which is in his right lung and his right pleural area.
I hope this helps. It is a tough cancer and I do hope you find an excellent Mesothelioma oncologist.