Successful treatment of lung cancer by multimodal endobronchial interventions

The innovation of thoracic interventions, such as endobronchial ultrasound and photodynamic ablation, has changed the interventional management of lung cancer. In this case report, we discuss the case of a successful treatment of endobronchial squamous cell carcinoma occluding the left upper lobe bronchus by a minimally invasive transbronchial approach. This case was initially planned for a sleeve left upper lobectomy. The careful assessment of radiological and ultrasonographic imaging concluded that the tumor was early-stage lung cancer. Multimodal endobronchial treatment cured the lung cancer without a thoracotomy. Pulmonary function was well preserved and no recurrence was found for more than 5 years. Even in the presence of a bulky endobronchial tumor, if there is no clear evidence of extraluminal invasion by computed tomography scan, a local bronchoscopic staging of the disease is mandatory.