CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION: ADVANCES IN DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND PROGNOSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.068-060Keywords:
Biomarkers, Diagnosis, Malignant Pleural Effusion, Precision Oncology, TreatmentAbstract
Malignant pleural effusion is a frequent manifestation of advanced malignancies and represents an important clinical challenge due to diagnostic complexity, recurrence, and heterogeneous therapeutic responses. This study aimed to analyze contemporary challenges and advances related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of malignant pleural effusion. An integrative literature review was conducted using SciELO, Latindex, LILACS, Miguilim, PubMed, and journal repositories associated with the Open Journal Systems (OJS), considering publications from 2021 to 2026 in Portuguese and English. Studies addressing diagnostic investigation, therapeutic strategies, biomarkers, molecular characterization, prognosis, and individualized care were prioritized. The findings demonstrated that pleural fluid cytology remains relevant, although its limitations justify the use of complementary diagnostic methods. Increasing interest was observed in biomarkers, biochemical analyses, molecular characterization, and precision oncology tools. Regarding treatment, the evidence indicated the need to integrate pleural interventions with control of the underlying malignancy, considering clinical, functional, and biological characteristics. It was concluded that contemporary management of malignant pleural effusion requires a multidisciplinary, individualized, and patient-centered approach, combining diagnostic precision, personalized therapeutic strategies, and continuous prognostic assessment. Further prospective multicenter studies are needed to validate biomarkers and predictive models applicable to clinical practice.
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