Malignant pleural effusion: further translational research is crucial

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is common and debilitating complications of various types of cancers (1,2). More than 75% of MPEs are caused by carcinomas of the lung, breast, or ovary, with metastatic adenocarcinoma being the most common histological type. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is also an important cause as a primary cancer growing in pleural cavity despite the low frequency. There are some patients who have no symptoms, but MPE commonly decreases quality of life (QOL) due to dyspnea and cough, and is associated with a poor prognosis (3).