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Catheter or surgery? new study seeks best way to ease breathing in cancer patients

NCT ID NCT04322136

Symptom relief Sponsor: The University of Western Australia Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at 158 adults with cancer who had fluid buildup around their lungs, making it hard to breathe. It compared two treatments: a long-term catheter placed under the skin to drain fluid at home, versus keyhole surgery to remove fluid and seal the space. The goal was to see which approach better controls symptoms and reduces the need for repeat procedures.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

158 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

May 2018

Finished

Aug 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Patients with a symptomatic MPE\* 2. Predicted survival of more than 6 months 3. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score = Peformance status defined as a patient's level of functioning in terms of their ability to care for themselves, daily activity, and physical ability (walking, working, etc. ECOG 0-1 (or ECOG greater than or equal to 2 if it is felt that removal of pleural fluid would improve their status to 0 or 1). * MPE is defined as histologically/cytologically proven pleural malignancy or an otherwise unexplained pleural effusion in the context of clinically proven cancer elsewhere. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Age \<18yrs; 2. Unfit to undergo a surgical procedure (American Society of Anaesthesiologists Score \>/=4); 3. Pleural infection; 4\. Chylothorax; 5. Pregnancy or lactation; 6. Uncorrectable bleeding diathesis; 7. Previous ipsilateral lobectomy/pneumonectomy; 8. Inability to consent or comply with protocol.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cancer neoplasm Pleural Effusion, Malignant Respiration Disorders respiratory system disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Cancer Malignant pleural effusion Respiratory disease

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Institute for Respiratory Health

    Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009, Australia

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