Indwelling pleural catheters for malignant pleural effusion.

Pleural effusions are a common cause of symptoms in patients with malignancy and can adversely affect quality of life. However, not all effusions in the setting of malignancy are due to the cancer itself and therefore it is essential to perform an extensive assessment to diagnose the underlying aetiology. There are a number of treatment options available to manage a malignant effusion and reduce the associated symptomatology. The choice of intervention depends on a number of factors and, in particular, patient preference. In this paper, we will discuss the role of an indwelling pleural catheter in the outpatient management of individuals with malignant effusions.

The role of a nurse specialist in a modern lung-cancer service.

The delivery of a modern cancer service is dependent on the nurse specialist occupying a central role in the overall pathway. However, there are significant variations in the access to a lung cancer clinical nurse specialist (CNS) across the UK and the USA. In the UK, the lung cancer CNS plays a pivotal role in the delivery of high-quality care and treatment to patients with (presumed) thoracic malignancy. They are in an ideal position to provide holistic care to patients with lung cancer-ensuring that all needs are addressed from the time of initial referral to commencement of definitive treatment or palliative care. In addition the role provides support and advice to people on the increasingly complex treatment options and on survivorship, and plays an essential role in end-of-life care. In the USA, the nurse navigator is a core member of the lung cancer screening programme. In this review the authors provide a transatlantic perspective on the history, current practice and potential future roles for the lung cancer CNS in the UK and nurse navigator in the US.

A clue in a colour? EBUS-TBNA in the analysis of isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

A 52-year-old female patient with a background history of malignant melanoma was referred to the interventional pulmonology unit at Galway University Hospital for the investigation of possible intrathoracic recurrence. A CT of the thorax (CT thorax) demonstrated mediastinal lymphadenopathy at position 4R, right paratracheal region. An endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) revealed multiple enlarged lymph nodes at station 4R. The nodes were heterogeneous with solid and cystic elements. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) obtained a black material consistent with malignant melanoma. Multiple TBNA samples were obtained and the diagnosis was confirmed pathologically by the presence of multiple epithelioid pigmented cells on cell block analysis. This case report emphasises the value of EBUS in the assessment of metastatic disease and, in particular, how the gross appearance of the sample can be suggestive of the diagnosis.

Molecular testing and personalized treatment of lung cancer.

Lung malignancy is a leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality worldwide. The majority (85%) of cases are histologically proven non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). More than 55% of lung carcinomas harbor at least one genetic alteration, most of them being histologic subtype specific. This review summarizes the progress in personalized care of lung cancer by reviewing the literature on EGFR, ALK and KRAS molecular alterations, currently used in clinical practice, to direct the decision making process for lung cancer therapy. In addition, we will discuss some recently characterized molecular alterations whose targeting is being tested in clinical trials and holds promise for future therapeutic targeting. The role of minimally invasive procedures in lung cancer diagnosis and staging is also discussed as these techniques now play a central role in lung cancer management by providing the bulk of material for modern molecular diagnostics.