Ancillary therapies in the management of lung cancer: photodynamic therapy, laser therapy, and endobronchial prosthetic devices

Photodynamic therapy in the management of endobronchial metastatic lesions from renal cell carcinoma

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Bronchoscopic procedures to ablate endobronchial lesions (EBL) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are frequently complicated by hemorrhage because of the vascular nature of the metastases. After ablation, recurrence of symptoms from the EBLs is common. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), because of its mode of action, may be a safer and a more effective alternative in the nonemergent management of EBL from RCC.

METHODS

Medical records of patients undergoing PDT at the authors' institutions between December 2005 and December 2008 were reviewed and patients undergoing treatment for EBLs from RCC were identified. Procedure-related complications, 30-day mortality, and efficacy of PDT measured by recurrence in symptoms and the need for additional interventions on the treated EBLs were reviewed.

RESULTS

Eleven patients underwent a total of 13 treatments with PDT. Hemoptysis, with or without symptomatic airway obstruction, was the most common presenting symptom. The most common location for the EBLs was the lobar or segmental bronchi. Six patients had undergone other interventions (rigid bronchoscopy, mechanical debridement, or argon plasma coagulation) before treatment with PDT, with recurrence in symptoms. No immediate complications were seen with PDT and none of the patients had recurrence of symptoms or required airway interventions during the 30-day follow-up. Four patients died at a median of 4 months (range: 3 to 6 mo) after PDT and all deaths were due to progression of cancer and none of the deaths were due to airway complications.

CONCLUSIONS

PDT is a safe and effective option for the management of hemoptysis or airway obstruction caused by EBLs from RCC.

Preinvasive lesions of the bronchus

It has been proposed that invasive carcinoma of the bronchus develops through a transition from preinvasive lesions to overt malignancy. Newer diagnostic technologies have provided a more sensitive way to diagnose preinvasive lesions and a better understanding of the prevalence of such lesions. The natural history of preinvasive lesions has not been well defined; however, there is evidence that high-grade lesions are at a higher risk of progression to carcinoma. Molecular alterations have been described in preinvasive lesions and may help better predict which lesions will progress. Several noninvasive techniques are available for the treatment of high-grade lesions.

Photofrin photodynamic therapy: 2.0 mg/kg or not 2.0 mg/kg that is the question

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative minimally invasive therapy that has great potential for both tumor ablation and normal tissue preservation. However, while in recent years the standards of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have dramatically improved in terms of outcomes and morbidity, the same cannot be said of PDT in general and Photofrin((R))-based PDT in particular. As currently practiced PDT dosimetry has not really improved tumor ablation and diminished side effects over reports from two decades ago. We critically examine the clinical variables available for PDT dosimetry and conclude that the simple maneuver of diminishing drug dose, with an appropriate increase in light dose, can enhance disease control with a significantly lower risk of morbidity. This conclusion should also be applicable to most systemically introduced photosensitizer.

Bronchial Intraepithelial Neoplasia/Early Central Airways Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

An evidence-based approach is necessary for the localization and management of intraepithelial and microinvasive non-small cell lung cancer in the central airways.

METHODS

Material appropriate to this topic was obtained by literature search of a computerized database. Recommendations were developed by the writing committee and then reviewed by the entire guidelines panel. The final recommendations were made by the Chair and were voted on by the entire committee.

RESULTS

White light bronchoscopy has diagnostic limitations in the detection of microinvasive lesions. Autofluorescence bronchoscopy (AFB) is a technique that has been shown to be a sensitive method for detecting these lesions. In patients with moderate dysplasia or worse on sputum cytology and normal chest radiographic findings, bronchoscopy should be performed. If moderate/severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ (CIS) is detected in the central airways, then bronchoscopic surveillance is recommended. The use of AFB is preferred if available. In a patient being considered for curative endobronchial therapy to treat microinvasive lesions, AFB is useful. A number of endobronchial techniques as therapeutic options are available for the management of CIS and can be recommended to patients with inoperable disease. In patients with operable disease, surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, although patients may be counseled about these techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

AFB is a useful tool for the localization of microinvasive neoplasia. A number of endobronchial techniques available for the curative treatment can be considered first-line therapy in inoperable cases. For operable cases, the techniques may be considered and discussed with the patients.

The curative potential of intraluminal bronchoscopic treatment for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer

Bronchoscopic treatment modalities such as lasers, electrocautery, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and brachytherapy are potentially curative for patients with very-early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the central airways. Previously, studies had primarily focused on the effectiveness of surgery, surgical bronchoplasty, and photodynamic therapy. The cure rate of intraluminal bronchoscopic treatment is strongly related to the patient's functional status and tumor stage. Intraluminal tumors are curable bronchoscopically when they are accessible to the fiberoptic bronchoscope, strictly intraluminal, and superficial with visible proximal and distal tumor margins. Early-stage cancer infiltrating deeper into the bronchial wall may already harbor metastases to the regional lymph nodes; hence, curative intraluminal treatment is not feasible. The use of new diagnostic tools (eg, high-resolution computed tomography, autofluorescence bronchoscopy, and endobronchial ultrasound) may improve staging to select the category of patients in whom intraluminal bronchoscopic therapy with curative intent is appropriate. An accurate intraluminal tumor staging will improve our ability to exploit the curative potential of many bronchoscopic techniques for complete tumor eradication in patients with very-early-stage intraluminal NSCLC in their central airways. The use of bronchoscopic treatment as a less morbid alternative than surgical resection will benefit patients most when tumor is detected at the earliest stage possible.

Treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), brachytherapy, electrocautery, cryotherapy, and Nd-YAG laser therapy are therapeutic options available for management of endobronchial malignancies. All of these treatment modalities have been used for both palliation of late obstructing cancers, and more recently have been used as primary treatment of early radiographically occult cancers. We reviewed the evidence for the use of these treatment options in the management of early lung cancer.

Endobronchial management of advanced lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients with lung cancer often have bulky endobronchial disease, endobronchial extension, or airway compression. Many endobronchial treatment modalities are available to supplement traditional therapies for advanced lung cancer.

METHODS

The author reviews the use of several endobronchial treatment modalities that can augment standard antitumor therapies for advanced lung cancer, including rigid and flexible bronchoscopy, laser therapy, endobronchial prosthesis, and photodynamic therapy.

RESULTS

Since the early 1980s, technical advances in interventional techniques have enhanced symptom-free survival and quality of life for patients with lung cancer. Although interventional procedures are not definitive therapies, they often relieve the strangling sensation produced by airway occlusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Endobronchial interventions are important adjuncts in the multimodality management of lung cancer and should become standard considerations in the management of patients with advanced lung cancer. For patients with respiratory symptoms associated with their disease, these interventions provide symptom palliation and improved quality of life.

Unusual primary lung neoplasms

Bronchial carcinoids and hamartomas are, respectively, the most common malignant and benign unusual primary lung neoplasms. These tumors are often asymptomatic but can cause central airway obstruction. Helical computed tomographic and radionuclide scintigraphic advances in their detection and evolution, together with newer interventional bronchoscopy techniques such as neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser phototherapy and cryotherapy, represent important improvements in the diagnosis and management of patients with such tumors.

Photodynamic therapy: a case series demonstrating its role in patients receiving mechanical ventilation

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has long been used to treat cancers within the tracheobronchial tree. There have been many reports about the use of PDT for the treatment of carcinoma in situ and for obstructive endobronchial lesions. PDT has not been previously reported in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. PDT offers the advantages of a relatively short duration of treatment, a low side effect profile, and relatively low risk when compared to Nd-YAG laser in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. We report the first successful use of PDT to wean patients from mechanical ventilation.

Bronchoscopic treatment of intraluminal typical carcinoid: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

The curative potential of various bronchoscopic treatments such as Nd:YAG laser, photodynamic therapy, and brachytherapy for the treatment of intraluminal tumor has been reported previously. Bronchoscopic treatment can be used to treat small intraluminal tumor with curative intent, such as in patients with roentgenologically occult squamous cell cancer. In a retrospective study, we showed that bronchoscopic treatment provided excellent local control with surgical proof of cure in 6 of 11 patients with intraluminal typical bronchial carcinoid.

METHODS

In a prospective study, 19 patients (8 women and 11 men) with resectable intraluminal typical bronchial carcinoid have undergone bronchoscopic treatment under general anesthesia. Median age was 44 years (range, 20-74 years). If tumor persisted after 2 bronchoscopic treatment sessions, surgery was performed within 4 months after the treatment.

RESULTS

Bronchoscopic treatment was able to completely eradicate tumor in 14 of the 19 patients (complete response rate 73%, 95% CI: 49%-91%). Median follow-up of these patients is 29 months (range, 8-62 months). One patient had severe cicatricial stenosis after bronchoscopic treatment, and sleeve lobectomy was necessary. No residual carcinoid was found in the resected specimen. In the remaining 5 patients, bronchoscopic treatment did not result in a complete response and radical surgical resection was performed afterward with confirmation of residual carcinoid in the resected specimen. Median follow-up of the surgical group is 34 months (range, 12-62 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Current data suggest that bronchoscopic treatment may be an effective alternative to surgical resection in a subgroup of patients with resectable intraluminal typical bronchial carcinoid. It alleviated the necessity of surgical resection in 68% (95% CI: 43%-87%) of the patients.

Malignant airway obstruction: recognition and management

Malignant airway obstruction affects up to 80,000 patients annually, many of whom will present acutely to the emergency department (ED). This clinical entity should be sought in any patient presenting to the ED with increasing shortness of breath, recurrent chest infections, hemoptysis, and an inability to lie flat. Interventions suggested in malignant airway obstruction include: maintenance of spontaneous ventilation by avoiding respiratory depressing sedation, muscle relaxants or narcotics; changes in patient's position; avoidance of general anesthesia and positive pressure ventilation, if possible; placement of endotracheal tube beyond the level of obstruction; radiotherapy; corticosteroids; availability of helium-oxygen mixtures, cardiopulmonary bypass, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. If time allows, further diagnostic studies will be of assistance in assessing the best therapy before definitive intervention.

Mainstem bronchial sleeve resection with pulmonary preservation

BACKGROUND

Resection of a mainstem bronchus with pulmonary preservation is a therapeutic option when disease is limited to the mainstem bronchus. We reviewed our experience with this procedure to determine the operative morbidity, mortality, and long-term outcome.

METHODS

From January 1965 through January 1995, 22 patients (13 male, 9 female) underwent circumferential mainstem bronchial sleeve resection without removal of pulmonary parenchyma. Median age was 37 years (range, 12 to 70 years). The right mainstem bronchus was involved in 12 patients and the left, in 10. Nineteen patients (86%) were symptomatic; symptoms included cough in 5, dyspnea in 5, wheeze in 3, hemoptysis in 3, and a combination of these in 3. Conventional tomography was done in 8 patients and identified every lesion. Bronchoscopy was diagnostic in all patients. Resection was for cancer in 15 patients (68%), benign stricture in 5 (23%), and an impacted broncholith in 2 (9%). The cancer was a carcinoid in 9 patients, a mucoepidermoid carcinoma in 3, squamous cell carcinoma in 2, and adenoid cystic carcinoma in 1. Fourteen patients were postsurgically classified as stage IIIA (T3 NO MO) and 1 patient as stage IIIB (T4 N2 M0). The median length of the resected bronchus was 2.0 cm (range, 1.0 to 4.0 cm). Two patients required hilar release maneuvers. The bronchial anastomosis was reinforced with pleura in 10 patients, pericardium in 2, and serratus anterior muscle in 1.

RESULTS

There were no operative deaths. Three patients (14%) had postoperative complications. Follow-up was complete and ranged from 6 months to 25.7 years (median follow-up, 10.2 years). Twenty-one patients are currently alive. All patients are asymptomatic except 1 patient, who required a stent for an anastomotic stricture. No patient has had recurrence of cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

In properly selected patients, mainstem bronchial sleeve resection with lung preservation can be performed safely and provides excellent relief of symptoms with good long-term survival.