Improving cancer testing from pleural (chest) fluid
Official title: Comprehensive Analysis of Best Practices for Clinical Testing of Malignant Pleural Effusion Specimens
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11177054 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using DNA found in chest fluid to try to make cancer testing faster and less invasive for people with advanced cancers that cause pleural effusions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,108,294 |
| NIH project number | 4U01CA275514-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177054 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with advanced cancer who have a malignant pleural effusion and are undergoing thoracentesis to remove chest fluid would be the ideal candidates for involvement or sample contribution.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pleural effusions or whose diagnostic needs depend on other tissue sites are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
If you have cancer-related fluid around your lung, this project compares the usual cell-pellet testing to using the cell-free DNA found in the fluid's liquid portion. Teams will standardize how fluid is collected, processed, and tested and will compare results across multiple laboratories. The work uses thoracentesis samples already removed for clinical care and analyzes paired samples to see which methods give the clearest molecular answers. The goal is to create practical, shared best practices so testing is more reliable and timely for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide accurate tumor DNA results faster and with less need for repeat or invasive tissue biopsies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small studies have found tumor mutations in pleural fluid cfDNA, but broad standardized benchmarking and agreed best-practice workflows are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devine, Walter Patrick — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Devine, Walter Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Extracellular Vesicle Clues to Diagnose and Predict Malignant Pleural Effusion
A study at Vanderbilt aims to use tiny particles shed by cancer cells in pleural fluid to improve diagnosis and prognosis of malignant pleural effusion.
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Analyzing best practices for testing fluid samples from lung cancer patients
This study is looking at ways to make it easier for people with advanced cancer and fluid buildup in their lungs to get important genetic information about their tumors, using a simple procedure that removes the fluid, so doctors can make better treatment choices.
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Feasibility of a disposable flexible bronchoscope for thoracoscopy compared with a semi-rigid pleuroscope in pleural effusion
This study tests whether a single-use flexible bronchoscope can be used safely and effectively for medical thoracoscopy in patients with pleural effusion, compared with the standard semi-rigid pleuroscope.
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Bubble PEP plus Segmental Breathing versus Incentive Spirometry for children with pleural effusion
This trial will test whether bubble positive expiratory pressure with segmental breathing helps children aged 5–16 with pleural effusion breathe better than incentive spirometry.
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Once-daily intrapleural enzyme treatment for complicated pleural infections
This will see if giving tPA and DNase once a day through a chest tube works as well as giving them twice a day for people with complicated pleural infections.
-
Pleural fluid biomarker testing to help diagnose lung adenocarcinoma
This project will test whether measuring new molecular markers in pleural fluid can help diagnose lung adenocarcinoma in adults who need thoracentesis.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.