Hi,
Looking at the clinical course, then the fluid buildup could be due to infection.
It is unlikely for cancer in the lung to present with fever, so it is probably infectious in origin. People with cancer though, can also get infections, so it is also possible to have both.
The post of kindd is generally correct, but the term pulmonary edema actually means fluid within the airways, fluid between the lung and the thorax is a pleural effusion and is the fluid drained during a thoracentesis.
Hello
Thoracentesis is the procedure of removal of removal of fluid from the pleural cavity. It can be diagnostic or it can be therapeutic(to remove the fluid to bring comfort to the patient and improve lung function).In this procedure, a cannula, or hollow needle, is carefully introduced into the thorax, generally after administration of local anesthesia.
The most common causes of pleural effusions are cancer, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, and recent surgery. In countries where tuberculosis is common, this is also a common cause of pleural effusions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracentesis
In cases of diagnostic thoracentesis, the fluid that is taken is sent for lab investigations to determine the etiology of the fluid i.e. to find out the cause of pulmonary edema.
In cases of therapeutic thoracentesis, it improves lung function and is useful for the relief of symptoms. So it is definitely useful.
Regards and God bless.