How do you evaluate a suspicious, but negative pleural effusion when working up NSCLC and SCLC?
Are two negative pleurocentesis' adequate to conclude that the patient does not have metastatic disease? Do you routinely recommend VATS and pleural biopsy? What if the effusion is bloody or exudative (but negative)?
1 Answer
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Radiation Oncology · Mayo Clinic
Answered on
Good question and this came up in my practice very recently (NSCLC). Historically, clinical trials have required 2 negative taps for entry. The patient I had in clinic appeared to have a node negative, LLL lesion with a ton of atelectasis and had a bloody tap that was negative for malignancy. It did...
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