Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety on the radio-heating-chemotherapy in treatment of patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE).METHODS: 60 patients of MPE were randomly devided into two groups, radio-chemotherapy group (treatment group)and chemotherapy group (control group).The drugs, according to the types of tumor cells, were select to take intravenous injection and pleural cavity administration. The patient' s pleural cavity was drained continuously by pleurocentesis. These treatments were made once two week lasting for 4-6 weeks with NS 30 ml +cisplatin 60 mg by perfusion of pleural cavity. After the perfusin of pleural cavity, radioheating was performed 60-90 min, twice one week for 8-10 times in the treatment group.RESULTS: The response rate was 90 % (CR+PR)in the treatment group, and 67 % (CR +PR)in the control group. The rates were higher than those in the control group (P<0. 05). Karnofsky performance status score (KPS)in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P<0. 01).The side effects included slight gastrointestinal tract reactions, and myelosupression in the two groups.CONCLUSION: Radio-heating-chemotherapy is an effective way in treatment of patients with malignant pleural effusion.

Key words: radio-heating-chemotherapy, intravenous chemotherapy, cisplatin, malignant pleural effusion, karnofsky performance status(KPS)score