title: Successful treatment with a combination of electrocautery using wire snares and gefitinib in patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer and central airway obstruction.
abstract: One-third of lung cancer patients present with life-threatening central airway obstruction (CAO). Two elderly patients were referred to our institution with symptoms caused by CAO. In each case, thoracic computed tomography and a bronchoscopic examination revealed a tumor obstructing the central airway. The tumors were resected endoscopically, and the patients' respiratory and performance status remarkably improved. Both patients were diagnosed with an advanced stage of lung adenocarcinoma harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. They received gefitinib monotherapy, with partial responses sustained for more than 12 months. Combination therapy with endoscopic tumor resection and gefitinib is beneficial in patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer and CAO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Demura
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishitsuji
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib