Pleural Cavity Of Patients Research Articles

癌性胸膜炎患者に対するアドリアマイシン含有ポリＬ‐乳酸マイクロスフェアーの使用

To obtain the maximal local anticancer effect with minimal systemic side effects, we prepared adriamycin(ADR)-containing poly(L-lactic acid) microspheres(ADR-MS)with an average diameter of 50 μm by the oil in oil emulsion method. An almost zero-order release of ADR from the ADR-MS was achieved in Tris buffer and ADR disappeared from the ADR-MS within 20 days. The treatment of mice bearing P 815 tumor cells with ADR-MS showed a higher survival rate than with free ADR. After the instillation of the ADR-MS into the pleural cavity of patients with pleuritis car-cinomatosa, ADR was detected in serum as well as in the pleural fluid for up to 15 days. Moreover, the amount of drainaged ADR was less than a few % of the administered dose, indicating that almost all the ADR-MS remained in the pleural cavity, ADR being released slowly. Furthermore, systemic side effects were not observed after the administration of the ADR-MS. The cytology of the pleural effusion indicated that the malignant stage became Class I after the instillation of the ADR-MS, inspite of adenocar-cinoma Class V before the treatment. The local administration of the ADR-MS was concluded to yield a maximal anticancer effect with minimal side effects.

Eosinophil colony stimulating activity induced by administration of interleukin-2 into the pleural cavity of patients with malignant pleurisy

Systemic administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in patients with malignant diseases induces peripheral eosinophilia. In the present study, to clarify the mechanisms of eosinophilia induced by IL-2, we examined the changes in the number of eosinophils and in eosinophil colony stimulating activity (Eo-CSA) in the pleural fluid of six patients with malignant pleurisy caused by lung cancer or malignant mesothelioma, during and after intrapleural administration of IL-2. Results showed that intrapleural administration of IL-2 induced marked eosinophilia in the pleural fluid and mild eosinophilia in the peripheral blood, and that during IL-2 administration, marked Eo-CSA appeared in the pleural fluid before increase in the number of eosinophils. The Eo-CSA seemed to be a polypeptide or protein because it was trypsin-sensitive and had a molecular weight of 40-60 kDa.

Dynamics of pleural effusion estimated through urea clearance.

Radioactive human serum albumin (RHSA) and urea were injected into the pleural cavity of patients with pleural effusions. The dynamics of the pleural liquid was investigated based on the volume of the pleural liquid and on the change in the concentrations of markers. RHSA concentration in the pleural liquid decreased linearly and slowly. Urea disappeared rapidly and exponentially. The analysis shows that water exchanges rapidly at the pleural capillary and that the volume of the pleural liquid is an affecting factor on the turnover of the pleural volume. The dynamics of malignant effusion was the same as that of tuberculous effusion.