Comparing indwelling pleural catheters with or without doxycycline for treating fluid build-up in the lungs
Official title: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study of Indwelling Pleural Catheters Versus Indwelling Pleural Catheters Plus Doxycycline Pleurodesis for Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusions
Run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · NCT03465774 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if adding doxycycline to the use of indwelling pleural catheters can help people with fluid build-up in the lungs feel better and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 208 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Houston, Texas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 8, 2018 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2028 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | September 14, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT03465774 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates include outpatients with malignant pleural effusions who are undergoing IPC placement and can provide informed consent.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with benign pleural diseases or those who have previously received intrapleural therapy on the same side may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study aims to gather preliminary data on the effectiveness of indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) alone versus IPCs combined with doxycycline for treating malignant pleural effusions (MPE). Patients will be assigned to one of two groups: one receiving IPC placement followed by doxycycline administration, and the other receiving only IPC placement. The study will monitor patients for treatment outcomes and quality of life over a follow-up period of up to one year. The goal is to determine if the addition of doxycycline can reduce treatment duration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more effective and quicker treatment options for patients suffering from malignant pleural effusions.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of IPCs is common, the specific combination with doxycycline for this purpose is less established, indicating a novel approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Outpatients with MPE undergoing IPC placement * Sufficient mental capacity to provide informed consent and answer Short-Form Six-Dimension health index (SF-6D) and Borg score questions * Inpatients that are expected to be discharged within 5 days of receiving an indwelling pleural catheter Exclusion Criteria: * Patients undergoing pleurodesis for benign disease (e.g., spontaneous pneumothorax) * Inability or unwillingness to give informed consent * Inability to perform phone call and clinical follow-up at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) * Pregnancy * Previous intrapleural therapy for MPE on the same side * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) of 4 and life expectancy =\< 2 weeks * Doxycycline allergy * Extensive loculations or hydropneumothorax or other contraindication to pleurodesis * Chylous effusions associated with malignant disease
Where it's running
-
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: David Ost — M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: David Ost
- Email: dost@mdanderson.org
- Phone: 713-792-6238
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Treatment for lung cancer using targeted chemotherapy delivery
This study is testing a new way to deliver chemotherapy directly to lung tumors in patients with hard-to-treat lung cancer to see if it helps control tumor growth better than standard treatments.
-
Preventing heart problems in overweight/obese young sarcoma survivors with tirzepatide
This feasibility study tests whether tirzepatide can be safely given to overweight or obese young adults (18–39) who have completed doxorubicin for soft tissue or bone sarcoma to see if it’s feasible to use in the first year after therapy.
-
Predicting lymphedema risk in inflammatory breast cancer patients using preoperative body impedance analysis
This study tests whether a preoperative bioimpedance test can help identify IBC patients who are at risk for developing lymphedema.
-
Precision genomic testing to guide first-line LBCL treatment readiness
Doctors will see if a tumor genomic test can help tailor first-line treatment for adults with LBCL by the start of the second cycle of standard therapy.
-
Using Apple Vision Pro in image-guided procedures
This study tests whether the Apple Vision Pro can be used during CT-guided biopsy procedures to help with imaging and guidance.
-
Geniculate Artery Embolization for Knee Osteoarthritis in Cancer Patients
This study tests whether blocking knee blood vessels with a standard care procedure can help reduce pain and improve function in people with knee osteoarthritis who also have cancer.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.