Fluid on the Lungs

[lhansmann]

Hello. My dad was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and they call the stage aggressive. He has had to o back several time s to have fluid drained from his lung. They finally put a drainage tube in now and are doing some procedue called Talc( apowder like substance)  to keep the lung from filling up again. I have alot of questions but one main one is Why does his lung keep filling with fluid...where does the fluid come from, and will it eventually quit filling up? Also, he has a collapsed lung that we found out abouyt today...what has caused that and will it eventually fix itself or what treatment is needed now? Thanks for any help and answers you can give me

[harrypotter12345647]

Hi My husband has just been told he has fluid on the right lung. He also been treated for prostate cancer which he has had for 3 years. What does this all mean.

[fer1950]

my niece is been having fluid in the lung. they put some talc powder to dry the lung. the problem is now that she need it a biopsie an they cant do it . the talc powder turn in to cement. so now they have to remove a tumor between the lungs and the heart. andthey cant get to it couse the cement.

[lhansmann]

Thank You very much for your responses. I understand a bit more now than I did before. I understand that it is a hard road ahead of us and I am trying to keep positive...sometimes it is easier when you understand some of the procedures or why they do certain things...Thanks Again

[HeinrikMD]

HI,
the catheter would be inserted to allow any more fluid to seep out. The tube can also be attached to a pressure source in an effort to re-expand the lung. Not everyone is a candidate for this attempt though.
when i mentioned acceptable and unacceptable treatment, I was referring to the trade offs of certain procedures. There are some people who would prefer getting a needle repeatedly to drain the lung, instead of having a permanent tube extending on their side. Some patients will also choose certain drugs over others due to side-effect profiles.

[lhansmann]

I don't really know what his options are and what is acceptable and not acceptable...this is all new to me....thanks

[lhansmann]

Thank You so much for explaining some of it to me. He has started his chemotherapy and seemed to do well the first time. He was suppose to take his 2nd round already but was admitted to the hospital because of the fluid. They put a drainage tube in and drained 2 liters off one lung. They are going to put a catheter of some kind in today because they say the lung is not expanding back....the cath is suppose to separate the tumor from the lung a bit....I don't really understand this either. Then they will let him go ahead with the next chemo. He hadn't really been in any pain till this lung collapsed. His main problem is not being able to breath and he is real weak from the chemo i guess....any more info you can give off this info will be appreciated....

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,
The normal lung expands and shrinks during normal breathing. The lining of the thorax that houses the lungs has fluid to help avoid damaging the surface of the lung.
When  cancer invades the lung and the lining, the cells along the lining make the surface leaky - and hence you keep getting fluid. The  fluid will keep returning for as long as the cancer is not  controlled, the talc may retard, but it is not permanent.  
The best way to control the fluid is to give treatment (chemotherapy) which would control the cancer. Small cell lung cancers  is  quite unique, whereas for some other cancers the presence of the fluid indicates subsequent poor response with chemotherapy, for small cell cancer patients - those with fluid tend to respond more dramatically, than those who present without it.
Stay positive and discuss what options are available and acceptable.