Methods
malignant pleural effusion, tumor
NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER, VIRUS, TUMOR, BREAST CANCER, MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION, METASTATIC DISEASE, VACCINIA, SECONDARY, MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA, VIRAL SHEDDING
Eighteen patients with malignant pleural effusion due to either malignant pleural mesothelioma or metastatic disease (non-small cell lung cancer or breast cancer) underwent intrapleural administration of the oncolytic vaccinia virus using a dose-escalating method, following drainage of malignant pleural effusion. The primary objective of this trial was to determine a recommended dose of attenuated vaccinia virus. The secondary objectives were to assess feasibility, safety and tolerability; evaluate viral presence in the tumor and serum as well as viral shedding in pleural fluid, sputum, and urine; and evaluate anti-vaccinia virus immune response. Correlative analyses were performed on body fluids, peripheral blood, and tumor specimens obtained from pre- and post-treatment timepoints.