title: Diagnostic yield and safety of C-TBNA in elderly patients with lung cancer.
abstract: Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (C-TBNA) is a minimally invasive technique used primarily in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. Currently lung cancer is mostly considered a disease of the elderly and the management of this disease in older patients is a growing concern. In this study we aimed to assess the diagnostic yield and safety of C-TBNA in elderly patients. A retrospective review of 88 consecutive C-TBNA procedures for nodal staging in suspected or confirmed primary lung cancer or pathological confirmation in suspected advanced lung cancer was performed. Patients were divided into less than 70 (<70yrs) or 70 and older (≥70yrs) age groups for analysis. There were no significant differences either in the diagnostic yield (69% in patients aged < 70 yrs and 74% patients aged ≥ 70 yrs (p=0.5) nor in the complication rate (respectively 8.8% in patients aged < 70 yrs and 6.9% in patients aged ≥ 70 yrs (p=0.7) between the two age groups. Reported complications were minor bleeding and poor tolerance; no major complications were observed. Based on our experience, C-TBNA represents a useful and safe alternative procedure for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galderisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelantonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maglio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laperuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Di Crescenzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selleri
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, High Speciality Hospital 'V. Monaldi' and University 'Federico II', Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vatrella
keywords: Bronchoscopy; Transbronchial needle aspiration – TBNA; elderly; lung cancer