When this occurs, it prevents expansion of the lung and causes shortness of breath. If the fluid contains cancer cells, the tumor has spread beyond the bounds of surgical cure. In certain unusual situations, a pleural effusion caused by another process may be present in a patient with a lung cancer. In such cases, the pleural fluid cytology will be negative. Such patients have been cured in some cases by surgical resection.
Pleural effusion is a very common complication of lung cancer.
Malignant pleural effusion can also be caused by other types of cancer. Two other tumors that often cause such effusions are breast cancer and lymphoma. You will need to register in with a physician ID number.