Anyone had Pleural Effusion with lung cancer? How was it treated?

Integrative therapies, using other non-toxic treatments and supplements to fight cancer and heal.

Thanks for your information, I did chemo and radiation, plural effusion is being drained for 5 months now. I'm not doing Immunotherapy, I'm taking targeted medications

My husband was also diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in 2021, Stage 3 Adenocarcinoma. His was unresectable so he was given Chemo and Radiation. He later developed Plural Effusion and Pneumonitis. For the Plural Effusion his doctor drained off 1.5 liters one time only, and since then he only has a small amount of fluid - not enough to require draining again. His scans have all been clear and he is almost at the two year remission mark. There was talk about giving him Immunotherapy, but for some reason his doctor is no longer going that route. We don’t know if it is because of his age (67) or some other reason. Are you scheduled for Immunotherapy?

What is integrative treatment?

Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021, had chemo and radiation was prescribed Tagrisso, latter on plural effusion appearef in my lung it is being drained three times a week. My oncologist replaced Tagrisso with Gilotrif, I went to Mexico for integrative treatment, plural effusion drainage started August 2022. Anyone has this experience?

Hello, I had pleural effusion after my lobectomy in June. A thoracentesis to remove the fluid determined the cause to be a chyle leak. After a month on low-fat diet and a second thoracentesis it seems to have resolved itself. I wish you the best.

Tanja, In 2019 they found a lung nodule 2.8 mm in size. They watched it for 3 months and it increased in size and a biopsy determined it was cancer. A lobectomy was performed. Another small cancerous tumor was found in 2021 and they did a wedge resection surgery. My post surgery pleural effusion did not resolve itself, and actually increased this spring and testing of the fluid pointed them to feel it was not cancer related and this is why hematology is treating my lymphoma. My cancer situation is so much different than yours, but from my experience, the doctors wanted to know the type of my tumor and would react based on the size, location, biopsy and testing results, as well as my physical condition.
I sure wish I had better information for you and hope you can get a second look at your condition. Keep us informed and if you do have any questions about our experiences, let us know. Stan

Thank you. I currently have a tenckhoff catheter inserted, draining daily. I had a stable left lung tumor for over 10 years then in Oct 2021 it became unstable with now a diagnosis of pleural effusion. The draining doesn't seem to decrease. I am about 9 weeks in and becoming very frustrated. My tumor is extremely slow growing, but growing in the direction of my spine. I'm Canadian and starting to lose faith in my doctors and looking for a second opinion, possibly Mayo FL. I am very frustrated and scared, not sure if I am being told everything. Had Chemo, but no real change, no radiation as yet and my doctors are not sure if they will, no explanation given either. Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated.

Tanja

Thank you Stan. I have had stable tumor in my left lung for over 10 years, last Oct 2021, all shit hit the fan, plus a diagnosis of pleural effusion. Had Chemo to try and treat tumor (to shrink, but nope) however, this is an extremely slow growing tumor, the problem is the pleural effusion, I currently have a tenckhoff catheter inserted and have the fluid removed daily, had 2 thoracentesis already. With the catheter in and the fluid being drained regularly, I can function relatively normal. Have had no surgeries yet, not sure if my doctor will, no radiation either. Just think it is time for a second opinion. I am Canadian and have heard many good things about the Mayo, I just need straight up answers which I do not feel I am getting here with my doctors. Did or do you have lung cancer? If you do not want to answer, that is ok. I am stumped that after all this time, this happens, and I think my doctors and confused as well as to how this happened. Thank you
Tanja

My husband had a very large (total of 9 liters removed via thorancentesis and PleurX Catheter over 4 weeks). right lung pleural effusion. Biopsies confirm advanced biphasic mesothelioma. After using the vacuum Pleurex system for 3 weeks his effusion had closed. It has remain resolved since January, 2022. The PleurX was removed at the end of February. Many scans and it has not returned. He receives immunotherapy and had a 5 day radiation trial. The lung and lymph node involvement has decreased and no recurrence of the effusion. O2 sats we’re 89-93 and now 98-100. He has another scan the end of September and we will know more then. He is being treated at Mayo, Rochester where we moved upon his diagnosis.