[Successful management of malignant pericardial effusion with weekly paclitaxel therapy in a lung adenocarcinoma patient].

A 67-year-old woman had undergone lobectomy and mediastinal lymphadenectomy on December 17, 1999, for lung adenocarcinoma. On June 29, 2001, the patient was readmitted because of acute deterioration of diabetic chronic renal failure due to cardiac dysfunction. Serum CEA level was high at 724 ng/ml. Chest X-ray and ultrasound suggested the presence of pericardial effusion, which was managed with pericardial drainage. Cytological examination revealed malignant cells (class V) in the effusion. Therefore, the patient was suffering from carcinomatous pericarditis. After the introduction of hemodialysis, the patient was treated with weekly paclitaxel therapy. Each cycle consisted of 3 weeks of therapy followed by a 1-week treatment break. Weekly paclitaxel therapy (11 infusions) brought about a normalization of the elevated CEA levels and a good control of the pericardial effusion. The patient has developed neither tumor progression nor reelevation of serum CEA levels for 12 month with no further therapy.