Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of injecting different drugs into pleural cavity for treating malignant pleural effusion.Methods:The clinical data of 214 patients with malignant pleural effusion from June 2014 to March 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.According to different treatment method, the patients were divided into simple drainage group(n=26), cisplatin group( n=55), endostar group( n=58), elemene emulsion group( n=30) and erythromycin group( n=45). The recent curative effect, life quality improvement, incidence of adverse reaction, hospitalization expense and the long term survival rate were compared between the two groups. Results:The recent overall effective rates of the five groups were 23.1%(6/26), 49.1%(27/55), 70.7%(41/58), 46.7%(14/30), 73.3%(33/45), respectively, there was statistically significant difference among the five groups(χ 2=24.20, P<0.05). The overall effective rates of the endostar group and the erythromycin group were obviously higher than those of the other three groups(all P<0.05). The live quality improvement rates of the five groups were 30.8%, 58.2%, 84.5%, 56.7% and 88.9%, respectively, there was statistically significant difference among the five groups (χ 2=37.20, P<0.05). The improvement rates of the endostar group and the erythromycin group were obviously higher than those of the other three groups(all P<0.05). In terms of adverse reaction, the incidence of adverse reaction of endostar group was the lowest, only a few patients presented chest pain, weakness, nausea and fever, the incidences were 3.4%, 8.6%, 5.1%, 3.4%, respectively, compared with the other groups, the differences were statistically significant(χ 2=12.40, 10.40, 36.60, 15.0, all P<0.05). The expense of the endostar group [(3 863.2±163.3)CNY] was obviously higher than those of the other groups ( F=124.48, P<0.05). The one-year survival rates of the five groups were 11.5%, 32.7%, 65.5%, 36.7% and 66.7%, respectively, there was statistically significant difference among the five groups (χ 2=28.70, P<0.05). The 2-year survival rates of the five groups were 3.8%, 5.5%, 13.8%, 6.7% and 15.6%, respectively, there was no statistically significant difference among the five groups(χ 2=5.28, P=0.26). The survival period of the four groups injected with different drugs were longer that of the than simple drainage group( F=54.40, P<0.05), the survival periods of the endostar group and the erythromycin group were obviously higher than those of the other groups(all P<0.05). Conclusion:Through injecting endostar or erythromycin into pleural cavity, the recent curative effect and forward survival rate of patients with malignant pleural effusion can be obviously improved, and the life quality of patients can be improved as well, therefore it is worthy of popularizing.Through comparing these two methods, the hospitalization expense of injecting erythromycin is lower, but the incidence rate of adverse reactions including pain and fever is higher, and the incidence rate of adverse reaction of injecting endostar is relatively lower, but the treatment expense is higher.