%0 Journal Article
%T Bronchoscopic ablation techniques in the management of lung cancer
%A Christopher Radchenko
%A Ray W. Shepherd
%J SCIE-indexed Journal
%D 2019
%R 10.21037/atm.2019.04.47
%X Airway involvement in lung cancer is common and often may lead to symptoms of airway obstruction including dyspnea, wheezing, cough, pneumonia, or hemoptysis. There are numerous options available to treat malignant airway obstruction including chemotherapy, radiation, airway stent placement and bronchoscopic ablative techniques. The selection of a specific ablative technique depends primarily upon the clinical urgency to restore airway patency and available technologies. If the patient is presenting with mild or subacute symptoms then multiple modalities can be utilized including those that have a delayed treatment response. If the patient is presenting with more severe symptoms or life-threatening malignant airway obstruction, the patient should be stabilized and then treated with an ablative therapy that will result in a more immediate effect. In addition to computed tomography an initial bronchoscopy is performed to determine what the most appropriate modality may be. Techniques such as laser, electrocautery, argon plasma coagulation (APC), cryoprobe debulking, and airway stenting all result in immediate improvement in airway patency. Other techniques such as photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy, or brachytherapy will have a delayed effect and thus are not suitable for more urgent situations. Balloon dilation can also provide some immediate and transient relief of malignant airway obstruction
%U http://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/26201/html