Nebulized Tranexamic Acid as a Noninvasive Therapy for Cancer-Related Hemoptysis

Many patients with cancer involving the respiratory system suffer from the frequent recurrence of significant, submassive hemoptysis, which may result in invasive procedures, hospital stays, and a reduction in quality of life. Currently, there are no widely accepted noninvasive therapeutic options. Few case studies have looked at the benefit of tranexamic acid (TXA) as a noninvasive therapy in the treatment of hemoptysis.

A patient with an invasive airway malignancy presented to the emergency department with substantial hemoptysis. A nebulized TXA solution was used as a noninvasive therapy to control the hemorrhage.

The patient's hemoptysis resolved fifteen minutes after the nebulized TXA therapy was initiated. There were no known adverse events.

Nebulized TXA seems to be a safe, effective, and noninvasive method for controlling, or at least temporizing, hemoptysis in select patients. Nebulized TXA may be useful as a palliative therapy for chronic hemoptysis and as a tool in the acute stabilization of hemoptysis.