Intrapleural therapy of malignant pleurisy in patients with neuroblastoma.

Three children with advanced neuroblastoma developed pleural effusion in the course of their disease. This unusual complication was successfully treated with intrapleural administration of a nonspecific "immunostimulatory" agent; cell wall skeleton of Nocardia rubra (N-cws). The side effects of this procedure were mild and well tolerated even in infants in spite of their terminal stage. Intrapleural therapy in this study seemed to be useful for the treatment of pediatric malignant pleurisy.