Helping Determine Stage of Lung Cancer

It is reported that more than 90,000 patients died of lung cancer and more than 20% of them were older than 80 years in North America. Therefore a less invasive but effective treatment is required for patients with lung cancer of advanced age, diminished pulmonary functions, and chronic diseases. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for early stage lung cancer in medically inoperable patients. On the other hand, accurate mediastinal and hilar lymph node staging is one of the most important factors that determine the outcome and indications for SBRT. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a novel, minimally invasive modality that enables the assessment of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes with a high sensitivity. Accurate lymph node staging by EBUS-TBNA will allow opportunities for high-risk patients with lung cancer to undergo minimally invasive treatment.