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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Aged, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Lung Neoplasms, Lymphatic Metastasis, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Staging, Pleural Effusion, Malignant, Pneumonectomy, Prognosis, Survival Rate, Thoracotomy, Treatment Outcome.
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Malignant minor pleural effusion detected on thoracotomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer: is tumor resection beneficial for prognosis? Context: This study attempts to clarify the benefit of surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant minor pleural effusion that is detected at thoracotomy. Records of surgical patients with NSCLC were reviewed, with a definition of minor pleural effusion as less than 300 mL. The patients were divided into three groups as follows: (1) group C consisted of patients who underwent grossly complete resection; group I, patients with incomplete tumor resection; and group E, patients who underwent exploratory thoracotomy only. There were 196 patients who had minor pleural effusion; of these, 96 (46%) underwent an examination to define the malignancy status of pleural effusion after surgery. In 43 patients (45%), the effusion was found to be malignant. The median survival time and 5-year survival rate, respectively, were 13 months and 9% for group C (n = 11); 34 months and 10% for group I (n = 14; p = 0.3); and 17 months and 0% for group E (n = 18; p = 0.8).
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Tumor resection is not beneficial for the survival of patients with NSCLC who have a minor malignant pleural effusion.