title: Efficacy of bronchoscopic therapies for bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children: results from six patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a rare disease in children, and lobectomy is traditionally considered as a first-line treatment. As the tumor is characterized by intraluminal growth, low malignancy and superficial infiltration of bronchial walls, bronchoscopic interventional therapy may provide an alternative treatment with favorable results. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bronchoscopic therapies for bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical manifestations, multiple bronchoscopic interventions and outcomes in 6 children with bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 8.7 years (range 4 to 12 years). All the tumors were located in the lobar bronchus and were detected by computerized tomography. Diagnoses of low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma were made based on biopsies obtained via bronchoscopy. Five tumors were classified as intraluminal type and successfully eradicated by carbon dioxide cryotherapy and argon plasma coagulation under bronchoscopy. The other tumor in patient 3 was classified as the mixture type and could not be removed by a bronchoscopic, so left upper lobectomy was performed. For each patient, interventional procedures were conducted on the average for 6 times. No recurrence was detected by bronchoscopic inspections or computed tomography scans during follow-ups for 16-72 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple bronchoscopic procedures, as alternative treatments, are effective in removing bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children without any major complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, China Meitan General Hospital, Beijing - PR China.
authors.forename: Hongwu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jieli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiangfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D057908:Argon Plasma Coagulation; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome