Abstract
Malignant pleural diseases involves both primary pleural malignancies (e.g., mesothelioma)
as well as metastatic disease involving the pleura. The management of primary pleural
malignancies remains a challenge, given their limited response to conventional treatments
such as surgery, systemic chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. In this article, we aimed
to review the management of primary pleural malignancy as well as malignant pleural
effusion and assess the current state of intrapleural anticancer therapies. We review
the role intrapleural chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and immunogene therapy, as well
as oncolytic viral, therapy and intrapleural drug device combination. We further discuss
that while the pleural space offers a unique opportunity for local therapy as an adjuvant
option to systemic therapy and may help decrease some of the systemic side effects,
further patient outcome-oriented research is needed to determine the exact role of
these treatments within the armamentarium of currently available options.
Keywords
intrapleural chemotherapy - intrapleural immunotherapy - malignant pleural diseases
- mesothelioma - malignant pleural effusion - immunogene therapy
