Hwasun Chonnam National University Hospital Researchers Suggest New Possibilities for Treating Malignant Pericardial Effusion

(From left) Professor Hyunjin Park, Professor Nuri Lee, student Yujin Kim. Courtesy of Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital

Hwasun Chonnam National University Hospital announced on April 6 that its cardiology research team has published study results in an international journal, presenting new treatment possibilities for patients with recurrent malignant pericardial effusion, a condition with a notably poor prognosis.

This research holds academic significance, as it is the first paper authored solely by a domestic research team to be published in "Cardio-Oncology," the official journal of the International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS).

The title of the paper is "Intrapericardial corticosteroid therapy for recurrent malignant pericardial effusion: a case series."

This study was led by Professor Hyukjin Park as the corresponding author, with Professor Nuri Lee and fourth-year medical student Yujin Kim of Chonnam National University School of Medicine as co-first authors.

Malignant pericardial effusion is a condition where fluid accumulates in the pericardium of cancer patients. In severe cases, it can lead to cardiac tamponade, which poses a life-threatening risk by compressing the heart. Particularly, its frequent recurrence and treatment difficulty make it a challenging issue in clinical practice.

The research team analyzed three cases of patients with advanced breast and lung cancer who had recurrent pericardial effusion that could not be controlled with existing treatments. Despite repeated pericardiocentesis and systemic anti-inflammatory therapy, these patients continued to experience cardiac tamponade.

In response, the team administered high-dose triamcinolone (200 mg) directly into the pericardial cavity after pericardial drainage. As a result, all three patients maintained stable pericardial conditions for up to 47 months. This suggests the possibility of suppressing repeated recurrence of cardiac tamponade while reducing the burden of long-term systemic steroid administration or surgical interventions.

This study is clinically meaningful in that it demonstrates the potential to suppress the recurrence of fatal complications through a relatively simple procedure. It may be considered an approach for managing cardiac complications in patients who must continue anticancer therapy without interruption.

Professor Nuri Lee stated, "We have confirmed the potential of localized intrapericardial steroid therapy as a new alternative that can reduce recurrent cardiac tamponade and help patients continue their anticancer treatments."

Co-first author Yujin Kim said, "It is meaningful that a short period of clinical practice has led to publication in an international academic journal. It is especially significant to be able to present new treatment options for patients with metastatic cancer."

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