Rigid bronchoscopic intervention for malignant central airway obstruction: A narrative review

Abstract

As the overall survival of patients with cancer has increased over the past decade, the need for bronchoscopic intervention to resolve malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO) has correspondingly increased. The response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy is slow and cannot be guaranteed to adequately address MCAO. Surgery is often impossible because of the extent of disease or the poor performance status of patients. Bronchoscopic intervention results in immediate therapeutic response and is considered safe. Accordingly, many interventional pulmonologists and oncologists are interested in this field, but it is challenging and detailed techniques are not properly standardized, which are barriers to entry into this field. This review aimed to explore the indications and clinical applications of bronchoscopic intervention for patients with MCAO using previously reported data and representative cases from our pioneering experiences. In particular, we focused on rigid bronchoscopy for MCAO, excluding procedures for fistulas or radiation-induced bronchitis stenosis that occurred secondary to anti-cancer treatment.