Respiratory muscle training after talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion

In patients where cancer is causing fluid to build up outside the lungs, we do invasive surgical procedures to try to prevent the fluid building up and causing shortness of breath. This project will determine whether strengthening the breathing muscles is a possible treatment option to reduce shortness of breath. Breathing exercises can be performed over 10 minutes twice a day in the patient’s own home, and require a small number of consultations with a physiotherapist. They can strengthen the breathing muscles and reduce shortness of breath in other lung diseases. However it is unknown, whether patients with cancer causing fluid build-up will benefit. If this study shows that the breathing muscles can be strengthened, we will use our findings to do a larger multicentre study to find out whether this technique can be routinely offered as a non-invasive option to reduce shortness of breath and improve quality of life.