Abstract
Malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO) is a debilitating and life-limiting complication
that occurs in an unfortunately large number of individuals with advanced intrathoracic
cancer. Although the management of MCAO is multimodal and interdisciplinary, the task
of providing patients with prompt palliation falls increasingly on the shoulders of
interventional pulmonologists. While a variety of tools and techniques are available
for the management of malignant obstructive lesions, advancements and evolution in
this therapeutic venue have been somewhat sluggish and limited when compared with
other branches of interventional pulmonary medicine (e.g., the early diagnosis of
peripheral lung nodules). Indeed, one pragmatic, albeit somewhat uncharitable, reading
of this article's title might suggest a wry smile and shug of the shoulders as to
imply that relatively little has changed in recent years. That said, the spectrum
of interventions for MCAO continues to expand, even if at a less impressive clip.
Herein, we present on MCAO and its endoscopic and nonendoscopic management-that which
is old, that which is new, and that which is still on the horizon.
Keywords
malignant airway obstruction - central airway obstruction - lung cancer - interventional
pulmonology - bronchoscopy
