Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a pleural effusion that is caused by a malignant tumor originating in the pleura or by a metastatic malignant tumor from another site that has invaded the pleura. MPE is associated with poor prognosis. Members of the Pleural and Mediastinal Diseases Working Group (preparatory) of Chinese Thoracic Society and some external experts selected clinical issues related to the management of MPE and conducted rigorous evidence retrieval and evaluation. After several meetings and revisions of the manuscript, recommendations were made. This consensus applies to patients aged≥18 years old with MPE caused by various malignancies except for pleural mesothelioma. It included four chapters: pathogenesis of MPE, prognostic evaluation of MPE, local thoracic treatment, and systemic anticancer therapy for MPE.

The main recommendations of this consensus are as follows:

1. Prognosis evaluation of MPE was valuable in formulating treatment options. It is suggested to comprehensively evaluate the patient′s prognosis by combining the patient′s performance status, tumor type, and laboratory examination.

2. It is recommended that in patients with symptomatic MPE, therapeutic thoracentesis could be used as the initial therapeutic option. Evaluate whether the lung is expandable after thoracentesis and drainage, and then develop a therapeutic regimen.

3. In patients with MPE and known expandable or nonexpandable lung, an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is recommended as a first-line pleural management. Daily IPC drainages are recommended. In patients with MPE and expandable lung, talc pleurodesis by talc poudrage or talc slurry is recommended if the drug is accessible. Other pleurodesis agents include povidone iodine, bleomycin, and doxycycline.

4. After drainage, it is suggested to consider the option of intrapleural use of recombinant human endostatin or bevacizumab alone or in combination with intrapleural chemotherapy. Intrapleural intervention including electrocautery, argon knife, cryotherapy, laser and radiofrequency ablation, is recommended for use in patients who have undergone rigorous evaluation in eligible hospitals. The use of intrapleural urokinase or streptokinase via pleural catheter is recommended for patients with symptomatic MPE and loculated effusion.

5. For patients with good performance status and metastatic malignancies, systemic anti-cancer treatment is recommended as standard of care.