Profile of malignant pleural effusion: experience of the Pulmonary Department of ANNABA University Hospital Center
B. Terra*a (Dr), F. Atouia (Dr), R. Yakoubia (Dr), F. Kalloufia (Prof)
a Pulmonary Department ,ANNABA University Hospital Center, Annaba, ALGERIA
* terra.facmed@gmail.com
Introduction: Due to its frequency, its economic impact and its repercussions on the patient's quality of life, neoplastic pleural pathology represents a public health concern. Given the predominance of secondary pleural neoplastic involvement, epidemiological and diagnostic discrepancies are noted.
The aim of the present investigation is to describe the epidemiological and diagnostic profile of metastatic pleural effusion treated at the Pulmonary Department of ANNABA University Hospital Center.
Materials and method: Retrospective study of all patients with malignant pleural effusion treated between January 2020 and August 2021. For each patient, anamnestic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic data were collected from the medical records.
Results: 47 cases were collected, including 30 women. The mean age was 62.17 years (17-82 years). Tobacco exposure was identified in 12 patients and a history of cancer in 21 patients. The clinical symptoms were dominated by dyspnea and chest pain. Pleural metastases were indicative of cancer in 27.65%. The pleural fluid was haemorrhagic in 48.93% of cases. 34.04% of the metastatic pleural effusions were of undetermined origin. The most important primitive locations found were the breast (25.53%) and the lungs (10%). The local treatment is essentially based on the evacuation of pleural punctures in connection with palliative chemotherapy.
Conclusion: Treatment of pleural metastases requires appropriate diagnostic tools, including immunohistochemistry. In addition, the etiological profile dominated by breast cancer and bronchopulmonary carcinoma requires optimization of prevention and early detection measures.
Disclosure of funding source(s): none