Intrapericardial Cisplatin Instillation for Malignant Pericardial Effusion: A Single-center Experience

Introduction

Heart and pericardium involvement occurs in about 10% of cancer patients, significantly impacting survival. Lung and breast carcinomas, melanoma, and lymphoma are the most common malignant tumors affecting the heart and pericardium. Involvement of the heart is a marker of very poor prognosis, representing end-stage neoplastic disease.

Pericardial decompression via pericardiocentesis results in immediate dyspnea relief and plays an important role in symptomatic treatment. Notwithstanding, the need for multiple procedures in the same patient is not uncommon. During the last decades, reports emerged regarding the utilization of cytotoxic agents for chemical pericardiodesis, but literature is scarce overall, and no systematization document has been published. The authors aimed to assess the recurrence of clinically significant malignant pericardial effusion in patients submitted to pericardiocentesis and cisplatin instillation.

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