[Initial assessment of lung cancer]

Initial assessment of lung cancer. Lung cancer is frequent with a high mortality rate. Improvement of diagnosis tools provide better staging and tumor characterization enhancing prognosis. We explain in this review the diagnosis procedures emphasizing the most im¬portant techniques and their goals. Clinicians define a target to sample with different means considering general condition and extension of the disease. Staging needs CT-Scan of thorax and abdomen, cerebral imaging, PET-CT, bronchoscopy in order to assess endobronchial invasion especially for localized or locally advanced cancer. New tools are emerging such as EBUS-TBNA or EUS-FNA for mediastinal staging. Transthoracic biopsy and Radial-EBUS or Electromagnetic navigation diagnostic bronchoscopy can be used for small peripheral lung lesions diagnosis. Conse¬quently, patients can benefit from individualized and precise therapeutic approach.