pleural effusion in breast cancer patient case report

Pleural effusion is the sign of malignancy and low survival rate in certain cancer types including breast cancer [12-14]. This case represents the attitude of patient toward breast cancer treatment and complication arising from the noncompliance of proper treatment. 2. Case Report

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What is the prognosis for pleural effusion?

The proposed deep learning method will be useful and may assist pathologists with different levels of experience in the diagnosis of cancer cells on cytological pleural effusion images in the future. In this study, we performed a weakly supervised deep ...

Can a patient with pleural effusion be contagious?

Most doctors agree that pleurisy is not contagious in itself; however, some of the underlying conditions that may cause pleurisy are considered contagious (for example, tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia and viral infections like influenza [the flu ]).

Is pleural effusion and pneumothorax are the same thing?

With an effusion, excess fluid collects between the layers of the pleura and can impair breathing. Pleural effusions most commonly result from congestive heart failure, but other diseases can also trigger them. Pneumothorax. A pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and the chest wall.

What are the causes of pleural effusion?

Types of pleural effusions

• Transudative pleural effusions. This type is caused by fluid leaking into the pleural space as a result of either a low blood protein count or increased pressure in the blood ...
• Exudative effusions. ...
• Complicated and uncomplicated pleural effusions. ...

Can breast cancer cause pleural effusion?

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common, debilitating complication of advanced cancer. Breast cancer is the second-ranking cause of MPE and approximately 7–11% of breast cancer patients show MPE during the course of the disease [1–3].

How does cancer cause pleural effusion?

Cancer cells can inflame the pleura and this makes fluid. The fluid builds up in the pleural space and is called a pleural effusion. The fluid stops your lungs from expanding fully. So you have to take shallower breaths and make more effort to breathe.

Can chemotherapy stop pleural effusion?

The most common treatment is to drain the malignant pleural fluid. Chemotherapy can also prevent the effusion from returning. Treatment for a pleural effusion can be given in a hospital or an outpatient setting. There are several methods available to remove fluid.

Can metastatic breast cancer cause pleural effusion?

Pleural metastasis of breast cancer often presents with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), which leads to recurrent attacks of dyspnoea and frequent hospital visits for surgical drainage 4.

What stage of cancer is malignant pleural effusion?

Stage IV cancer also includes people who have a fluid collection around the lung (called a malignant pleural effusion) caused by the cancer. Stage IV NSCLC cannot be cured, but treatment can reduce pain, ease breathing, and extend and improve quality of life.

How do you know if a pleural effusion is malignant?

Cytology/lymphocyte subsets – Pleural fluid cytology, a quick and easy method of obtaining material for analysis, can potentially confirm the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion by identification of malignant cells. Sixty percent of MPE will have positive cytology, although this figure is lower in mesothelioma.

What is the best treatment for pleural effusion?

Diuretics and other heart failure medications are used to treat pleural effusion caused by congestive heart failure or other medical causes. A malignant effusion may also require treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a medication infusion within the chest.

How long can I live with pleural effusion?

Many patients with pleural effusions die within 30-days of admission to the hospital, and nearly 1/3 are dead within one year.

Can pleural effusion be cured?

A minor pleural effusion often goes away on its own. Doctors may need to treat the condition that is causing the pleural effusion. For example, you may get medicines to treat pneumonia or congestive heart failure. When the condition is treated, the effusion usually goes away.

What is the most common cause of pleural effusion?

There are two types of pleural effusion: Transudative pleural effusion is caused by fluid leaking into the pleural space. This is from increased pressure in the blood vessels or a low blood protein count. Heart failure is the most common cause.

Can you recover from malignant pleural effusion?

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common but serious condition that is related with poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality. Its incidence and associated healthcare costs are rising and its management remains palliative, with median survival ranging from 3 to 12 months.

Is pleural effusion serious?

Overview. Fluid around the lung (pleural effusion) is a potentially dangerous condition that can masquerade as something less worrisome. What may seem like chest pain or coughing due to a bad cold could actually have serious health ramifications.

What is a malignant pleural effusion?

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) are defined as effusions that result from the direct infiltration of the pleura by cancer cells [9]. Breast cancer is the second most common cause after lung cancer of MPEs, accounting for approximately one third of all MPEs [10,11].

What is therapeutic thoracentesis?

Therapeutic thoracentesis is the initial approach for patients with respiratory symptoms including dyspnea. However, pleural fluid usually recurs after simple aspiration [7]. Therefore, various approaches are used to prevent the re-accumulation of pleural effusions.

Is oral endocrine therapy effective?

Oral endocrine therapy may be effective for the treatment of late recurrence of hormon receptor-positive breast cancer in elderly women. Keywords: malignant pleural effusion, breast cancer, late recurrence, endocrine therapy. Background. Postoperative recurrence of breast cancer occurs in approximately 18% to 45% of patients [1–3].