Cytotoxic Natural Killer Subpopulations as a Prognostic Factor of Malignant Pleural Effusion.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a sign of advanced disease of poor prognosis. As natural killer (NK) cells are involved in the first line of tumour defence, we aimed to validate a new diagnostic and prognostic indicator for MPE based on NK subpopulations of pleural fluid (PF) and peripheral blood (PB).

Methods: NK subpopulations were determined in PF and PB in 71 patients with malignant, paramalignant or benign pleural effusion.

Predicting Malignant and Paramalignant Pleural Effusions by Combining Clinical, Radiological and Pleural Fluid Analytical Parameters.

Background: The usefulness of clinical, radiological and pleural fluid analytical parameters for diagnosing malignant and paramalignant pleural effusion is not clearly stated. Hence this study aimed to identify possible predictor variables of diagnosing malignancy in pleural effusion of unknown aetiology.

Methods: Clinical, radiological and pleural fluid analytical parameters were obtained from consecutive patients who had suffered pleural effusion of unknown aetiology.