Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Research Articles

Bronchoscopy in the investigation of outpatients with hemoptysis at a lung cancer clinic.

In the investigation of lung cancer, current practice in many healthcare systems would support bronchoscopy regardless of CT findings in patients with hemoptysis. We sought to identify the cause, the diagnostic yield of CT and bronchoscopy and the requirement for bronchoscopy in at risk patients with hemoptysis with a normal CT scan through our rapid access lung cancer clinic (RALC). Initially, a chart review was performed on all patients with hemoptysis (2011-2012) and thereafter a prospective analysis was performed (2013-2016). Our analysis represents the largest study to date in outpatients with hemoptysis. In our retrospective study, 155 patients reported hemoptysis. Causes were lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs) (47%) and lung cancer (16%). Our prospective study included 182 patients. The causes of hemoptysis were RTIs (50%) and lung cancer (18%). There were no false negative CT-scans for lung cancer. 47/57 present with lung cancer underwent bronchoscopy and 43/47 were positive for lung cancer (92%). Patients with hemoptysis and lung cancer have a higher stage of malignancy with a predominance of squamous cell lung carcinoma. Smoking status, the duration of hemoptysis or description of hemoptysis were not predictive of lung cancer however lung cancer was not identified in patients age <50. One sixth of patients presenting with hemoptysis to our lung cancer clinic had lung cancer. No patient identified with cancer related haemoptysis had a CT negative for lung cancer and a combination of bronchoscopy plus endobronchial ultrasound trans-bronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in those patients with a CT suspicious of lung cancer is 92% sensitive for lung cancer causing hemoptysis.

Systematic Compared With Targeted Staging With Endobronchial Ultrasound in Patients With Lung Cancer

To evaluate the accuracy of systematic mediastinal staging by endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) (sampling of all visible nodes measuring ≥5 mm from stations N3 to N1 regardless of their positron emission tomography/computed tomography [PET/CT] features) and compare this staging approach with targeted EBUS-TBNA staging (sampling only 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose [FDG]-avid nodes) in patients with N2 non-small cell lung cancer on PET/CT. Retrospective study of 107 patients who underwent systematic EBUS-TBNA mediastinal staging. The results were compared with those of a hypothetical scenario where only FDG-avid nodes on PET/CT would be sampled. Systematic EBUS-TBNA sampling demonstrated N3 disease in 3 patients, N2 disease in 60 (42single-station or N2a, 18 multiple-station or N2b) and N0/N1 disease in 44. Of these 44, 7 underwent mediastinoscopy, which did not show mediastinal disease; 6 of the 7 proceeded to lung resection, which also showed no mediastinal disease. Thirty-four N0/N1 patients after EBUS-TBNA underwent lung resection directly: N0/N1 was found in 30 and N2 in 4 (1 N2b with a PET/CT showing N2a disease, 3 N2a). Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and overall accuracy of systematic EBUS-TBNA were 94%, 100%, 90%, 100% and 96%, respectively. Compared with targeted EBUS-TBNA, systematic EBUS-TBNA sampling provided additional important clinical information in 14 cases (13%): 3 N3 cases would have passed unnoticed, and 11 N2b cases would have been staged as N2a. In clinical practice, systematic sampling of the mediastinum by EBUS-TBNA, regardless of PET/CT features, is to be recommended over targeted sampling.

Feasibility of endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration for massively parallel next-generation sequencing in thoracic cancer patients

IntroductionNext-generation sequencing (NGS) allows for the identification of a growing number of therapeutic and prognostic molecular targets. However, NGS typically requires greater quantities of DNA than traditional molecular testing does. Endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure used to sample central thoracic lesions, but it is not well established whether this technique provides sufficient material for NGS. MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of EBUS-TBNA at our institution (3/1/14-9/28/16). NGS was performed using a comprehensive hybrid-capture based assay (MSK-IMPACT) that detects >340 gene mutations. Samples found to be diagnostic for malignancy and for which MSK-IMPACT had been attempted were identified. Pathologic and clinical data were obtained from the medical record, and the results of MSK-IMPACT were examined. ResultsIn total, 784 EBUS-TBNA procedures were performed during the study period. MSK-IMPACT was requested for 115 malignant samples and was successful for 99 (86.1%), identifying an average of 12.7 mutations at a mean coverage depth of 806X. NGS was performed on paraffin-embedded cell blocks in 93 cases (93.9%) and on cell-free DNA in needle rinse fluid in 6 cases. The success rate of the assay improved significantly from the first third of cases (76.3%), to 92.3% for the final one-third of cases (p < 0.05). ConclusionsEBUS-TBNA reliably provided adequate tissue for hybrid capture NGS, and is a suitable option for comprehensive NGS testing in patients with thoracic malignancies.

Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS/TBNA): a diagnostic challenge for mediastinal lesions.

Lung cancer is one of the most frequent neoplastic diseases. To date, most lung cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it difficult to choose the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. Surgical resection represents the best therapeutic solution. However, the best results are obtained only in the early stages of the disease. Lymph node involvement conditions the treatment (surgical or non-surgical approach). Mediastinoscopy is an effective and widely used method for mediastinal staging but does not allow us to reach many mediastinal lymph nodes. Endobronchial ultrasound/transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) allows us to reach more lymph nodes and is referred to as a first-choice exam for mediastinal staging.

Échobronchoscopie avec ponction transbronchique à l’aiguille : évaluation des pratiques

Endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has undergone a large increase in France since 2007. The aim is to study the evolution of the indications for EBUS-TBNA in our region during the period 2008-2013. We conducted a retrospective observational study including all the patients who underwent an EBUS-TBNA procedure in Picardie from 2008 to 2013. The respective proportion for each indication was noted. During the study period, 1036 EBUS-TBNA procedures were performed with a continuous increase in number (86 in 2008 versus 275 in 2013). We observed an increase in the proportion of procedures performed for a suspected diagnosis of sarcoidosis (OR=1.31; IC 95% [1.09-1.58]; P=0.005) and for the simultaneous diagnosis and staging of lung cancer (OR=1.12; IC 95% [1.02-1.24]; P=0.022). For the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, we observed an improvement in the diagnostic yield between the periods [2008-2010] and [2011-2013] (42.9% versus 72.5%). A continuous increase in the number of EBUS-TBNA procedures was observed during the period 2008-2013. It was associated with a modification in practice with an increased proportion of procedures performed for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

EBUS: Faster, cheaper and most effective in lung cancer staging.

The use of endobronchial ultrasound trans-bronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) as the initial diagnostic and staging procedure in patients with suspected, non-metastatic lung cancer has gained substantial support, and is now recommended by numerous guidelines. Whereas considerable attention has been pointed to the reductions in costs achieved by EBUS-TBNA, that has not been the case for some of its more significant benefits, namely the reduction of the diagnostic work-up time and its ability to accurately assess and restage lymph nodes, which were previously stated incorrectly by CT or PET scan. Both these benefits translate into improved outcomes for patients, as delays are reduced, futile surgeries are prevented and curable operations can be performed on patients previously excluded by CT or PET scan. Indeed, the use of EBUS as the initial diagnostic and staging procedure has been proven to significantly increase survival, compared with conventional diagnostic and staging procedures, in a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial (Navani N. etal, 2015). The instalment of EBUS will have the greatest effect on overwhelmed, suboptimally functioning national healthcare systems, by decreasing the number of required diagnostic and staging procedures, therefore reducing both treatment delays and costs. The improved selection of surgical candidates by EBUS will result in improved patient outcomes. The latest findings regarding the benefits of EBUS are outlined in this review, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to emphasise the impact of the procedure, both on timing and costs of lung cancer staging, as well as on survival.

MicroRNA expression profile in primary lung cancer cells lines obtained by endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration

Novel cancer biomarkers like microRNA (miRNA) are promising tools to gain a better understanding of lung cancer pathology and yield important information to guide therapy. In recent years, new less invasive methods for the diagnosis and staging of NSCLC have become key tools in thoracic oncology and the worldwide spread of endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). However, appropriate specimen handling is mandatory to achieve adequate results and reproducibility. The aim of this single centre prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of a complete miRNA expression profile in fresh NSCLC cell lines obtained by EBUS-TBNA. Patients with proven NSCLC underwent EBUS-TBNA for the diagnosis of suspect lymph node metastasis, and cytological specimens were collected for epithelial cell culture and miRNA expression analysis. To validate the miRNA expression profile, we compared the results from EBUS-TBNA NSCLC specimens with those obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) mediastinoscopy specimens. Analysis of the miRNA expression profiles of three independent EBUS-TBNA-derived primary cell lines allowed the screening of 377 different human miRNAs. One hundred and fifty miRNAs were detected in all cell lines. Analysis of the miRNA expression profile in mediastinoscopy specimens showed a strong similarity in the clusters analysed. The miRNA expression profile is feasible and reliable in EBUS-TBNA specimens. Validation of this protocol in fresh cytological specimens represents an effective and reproducible method to correlate translational and clinical research.

Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Thoracic Diseases: Much More than Mediastinal Staging.

Background and Objective EBUS-TBNA has revolutionized the diagnostic approach to thoracic diseases from a surgical to minimally invasive procedure. In non small-cell lung cancer (NCSLC) patients, EBUS-TBNA is able to dictate the consecutive therapy both for early and advanced stages, providing pathological diagnosis, mediastinal staging, and even adequate specimens for molecular analysis. This study reports on the ability of EBUS-TBNA to make different diagnoses and dictates the consecutive therapy in a large cohort of patients presenting different thoracic diseases. Methods All procedures performed from January 2012 to September 2016 were reviewed. Five groups of patients were created according to the main indications for the procedure. Group 1: lung cancer staging; Group 2: pathological diagnosis in advanced stage lung cancer; Group 3: lymphadenopathy in previous malignancies; Group 4: pulmonary lesions; Group 5: unknown origin lymphadenopathy. In each group, the diagnostic yield of the procedure was analysed. Non malignant diagnosis at EBUS-TBNA was confirmed by a surgical procedure or clinical and radiological follow-up. Results 1891 patients were included in the analysis. Sensitivity, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy in each group were 90.7%, 79.4%, and 93.1% in Group 1; 98.5%, 50%, and 98.5% in Group 2; 92.4%, 85.1%, and 94.7% in Group 3; 90.9%, 51.0%, and 91.7% in Group 4; and 25%, 83.3%, and 84.2% in Group 5. Overall sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 91.7%, 78.5%, and 93.6%, respectively. Conclusions EBUS-TBNA is the best approach for invasive mediastinal investigation, confirming its strategic role and high accuracy in thoracic oncology.

NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS OF THE LUNG WITH SURGICAL RESECTION AND LYMPH NODE DISSECTION IN A TERTIARY THORACIC SURGERY CENTER.

Management of neuroendocrine tumors is highly dynamic, in both diagnosis and treatment. Surgical resection with lymph node approach offers excellent 5-years survival. Between 2008 and 2011 we operated with radical intent 326 lung cancers. Cases without lymph node approach were excluded. We found 38 neuroendocrine malignancies: 12 typical carcinoids, 3 atypical carcinoids, 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) and 10 small-cell lung cancers (SCLC). Limits of the study are: variable lymphadenectomy technique; absence of PET - CT and EBUS-TBNA (EndoBronchial UltraSound - TransBronchial Needle Aspiration) for staging; incomplete data for disease-free survival. We performed 13 pneumonectomies, 22 lobectomies and 3 non-anatomical resections. There were 5 bronchoplasties. The 5-year survival difference between NSCLC (non-small-cell lung cancer - 42.9%) and SCLC (40.53% - one of the best from the literature) is not statistically significant (p=0.4780). Five-years survival was 100% for typical and atypical carcinoids - the best published. We found lymph node metastasis in 2 typical carcinoids, in 2 atypical carcinoids and in 6 SCLCs. For typical and atypical carcinoids, radical resection with lymphadenectomy offers 100% 5-years survival. Early-stage SCLC may benefit from radical resection; lymph node dissection is mandatory because of the well-known precocious lymphatic dissemination.

Efficacy of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Virtual-Reality Simulator Training.

Efficacy of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Virtual-Reality Simulator Training.

Endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration by experienced pulmonologists: a cusum analysis

Endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS TBNA) is an established, minimally invasive way to sample intrathoracic abnormalities. The EBUS scope can be passed into the oesophagus to perform endoscopic ultrasound with bronchoscope-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA). In cases of suspected lung cancer, a combination of the two techniques is now recommended by consensus guidelines. EBUS TBNA is usually performed by pulmonologists; however, the learning curve for EUS-B-FNA, which may be performed during the same procedure, has not been described.A multicentre, observational Australian study, using prospectively collected data from three experienced pulmonologists was conducted. Cumulative sum (cusum) analysis was used to generate visual learning curves.A total of 152 target lesions were sampled in 137 patients, with an overall sensitivity for malignancy of 94.8%. The sensitivity for malignant lesions outside of the 2009 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer lymph node map (largely intraparenchymal lesions) was 92.9%. All three operators were competent by conventional cusum criteria. There was one case of pneumothorax, and no episodes of mediastinitis or oesophageal perforation were observed.Our data suggest that experienced pulmonologists can safely and accurately perform EUS-B-FNA, with a high diagnostic sensitivity for both lymph node and non-nodal lesions.

Factors Associated With Successful Diagnosis of Infections With Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Performed for Mediastinal or Hilar Lymphadenopathy

SESSION TITLE: Rapid Session: Interventional Procedures SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Slide PRESENTED ON: Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 03:15 PM - 04:15 PM PURPOSE: Although endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) with transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of lymph nodes is frequently performed to diagnose cancer or sarcoidosis, the yield of this procedure for diagnosing infectious causes of mediastinal lymphadenopathy is unknown. Reported use of EBUS-TBNA in diagnosing infections other than tuberculosis is limited to case reports and case series, and diagnostic sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing infections has not been evaluated in large-scale studies. It is unclear if the low incidence of infectious diagnoses by this approach is the result of TBNA samples not being submitted for microbiologic studies, a low incidence of infection in the population being examined or a true limitation of the procedure. We aimed to identify pre-procedure factors that were associated with an ultimate diagnosis of infection. METHODS: All patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA performed by pulmonary and critical care medicine physicians for hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy at Los Angeles County Medical Center and Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California from 2010-2016 were included. We report counts with percentages and means with standard deviations; multivariate logistic regression results are reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). All analyses were performed with SAS 9.4. RESULTS: 166 patients who underwent EBUS TBNA were analyzed. Patients tended to be male (55%) with an average age of 60. Half the patients had a history of cancer, while 2.4% of patients were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus. Final diagnoses were cancer, sarcoidosis, and infection (mainly mycobacterial and coccidioidal) in 49%, 14%, and 10%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, only the clinician’s pre-procedural indication of “rule out infection” was associated with an infectious diagnosis (OR 5.51, 95% CI 1.40 - 21.74). Patient-specific variables such as age, past medical history, and lymph node or lung parenchymal radiographic features were not associated with final infectious diagnoses. The EBUS procedure was non-diagnostic in 3 cases that were subsequently diagnosed with infections by other means. CONCLUSIONS: In a retrospective review in an endemic region, Shah et al found that only 5 of 119 diagnostic EBUS-TBNA cases yielded a diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis, while Harris et al reported only 3 infections in 82 EBUS-TBNA sampled patients. The diagnosis of infections with EBUS-TBNA is uncommon, and often unexpected. Our small study shows that this diagnosis cannot be predicted from any patient demographic, lymph node or parenchymal radiographic patterns. However, a pre-procedural suspicion for infection significantly increased the odds of an infection being ultimately diagnosed with EBUS-TBNA. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: In patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal or hilar lymphadenopathy, subjective clinical suspicion for an infectious etiology was the only factor that correlated with an eventual infectious diagnosis. We suggest that clinicians consider sending EBUS-TNBA samples in such patients also for microbiological studies. Whether this practice would lead to more infectious diagnoses with EBUS-TBNA remains to be determined. DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Udit Chaddha, Andrew Morado, Ching-Fei Chang, Alex Balekian, Ramyar Mahdavi No Product/Research Disclosure Information

BRAF Mutated Tall Cell Papillary Carcinoma Lung Metastasis Following Thyroidectomy

SESSION TITLE: Metastatic and Other Primary Lung Tumors SESSION TYPE: Affiliate Case Report Poster PRESENTED ON: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 at 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM INTRODUCTION: BRAF Mutated Tall Cell Papillary Carcinoma is a rare tumor infrequently presented as lung metastasis. Although Papillary Carcinoma is one of the most frequent Thyroid Cancers, BRAF-Tall Cell Variant carries the worst prognosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old male former 12-pack year smoking history and total thyroidectomy as a child presents for evaluation of hematochezia. He has no prior history of radiation exposure or familial history of thyroid cancer. Supplemental thyroid replacement therapy was started at age 21 due to clinical hypothyroidism. Residual thyroid glandular tissue was not visible on CT scan or ultrasound studies. Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated the incidental finding of a 1.2 cm non-calcified lobulated and speculated pulmonary nodule. Positron Emission Test (PET) Scan demonstrated maximum SUV uptake of 11.0 in mediastinal and pretracheal structures. Mediastinoscopy aborted after experiencing intraoperative bleeding complications. Endobronchial Ultrasound Trans-bronchial fine needle aspiration (EBUS-TB FNA) was was non-diagnostic. Exploratory thoracotomy with right middle lobe wedge resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed. Surgical biopsy diagnosed a poorly differentiated tall cell papillary carcinoma, BRAF positive mutation. DISCUSSION: BRAF is a important oncoprotein responsibile for the MAPK-pathway output. Its role suppresses the expression of genes required for iodide incorporation. Due to poor iodide uptake, radioactive iodine is not useful diagnostically or therapeutically in tall cell variant disease. CONCLUSIONS: BRAF-mutated classical or tall-cell-variant papillary thyroid carcinomas have a high frequency of lymph-node metastases and recurrence after thyroidectomy. These associated carcinomas have a poor response to radioiodine therapy due to the high MAPK-pathway output, which is driven by the BRAF V600E oncoprotein. This case demonstrates the difficulty with diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and rare presentation of tall cell variant papillary cell carcinoma as lung metastasis. Reference #1: American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts and Figures 2016. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society, 2016. Reference #2: Gimm, O., Rath, F. W. and Dralle, H. (1998), Pattern of lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Br J Surg, 85: 252-254. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2168.1998.00510.x Reference #3: Xing M, Westra WH, Tufano RP, et al. BRAF mutation predicts a poorer clinical prognosis for papillary thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005;90:6373-9. DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Brandon Hooks No Product/Research Disclosure Information

EBUS-TBNA in PET-positive lymphadenopathies in treated cancer patients.

Mediastinal lymph node enlargement is common in the follow-up of patients with previously treated malignancies. The aim of this study is to assess the role of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) for cyto-histological evaluation of positron emission tomography with 18fluorodeoxyglucose (PET) positive mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes developed in patients with previous malignancies.All EBUS-TBNA cases performed from January 2012 to May 2016 were retrospective reviewed. Results of EBUS-TBNA in patients with mediastinal and/or hilar lymphadenopathies were analysed. Non-malignant cytopathologies were confirmed with surgical procedures or clinical and radiological follow-up.Among 1780 patients, 176 were included in the analysis. 103 of these (58.5%) had a diagnosis of tumour recurrence whereas 73 (41.5%) had a different diagnosis: 63 (35.8%) had a non-neoplastic diagnosis and 8 patients (4.6%) had a different cell type malignancy. Samples were false-negative in 5 (2.8%) out of 176 patients. The overall sensitivity, specificity, negative predicted value and diagnostic accuracy were 95.7% (95% CI 90.2–98.6%), 100% (95% CI 94.0–100%), 92.3% (95% CI 83.2–96.7%) and 97.2% (95% CI 93.5–98.8%), respectively.EBUS-TBNA demonstrated a pathological diagnosis different from the previous tumour in a large percentage of patients, confirming its strategic role in the management of patients with previously treated malignancies.

Antiplatelet Exposure and Bleeding Events in Patients Undergoing EBUS-TBNA

Periprocedural management of aspirin and clopidogrel, antiplatelet agents, for Endobronchial Ultrasound with Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) remains unclear. Discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy has been questioned given the low risk of hemorrhagic complications reported with this procedure.

Bronchoscopic modalities to diagnose sarcoidosis.

Several studies have investigated different bronchoscopic techniques to obtain tissue diagnosis in patients with suspected sarcoidosis when the diagnosis cannot be based on clinicoradiographic findings alone. In this review, we will describe the most recent and relevant evidence from different bronchoscopic modalities to diagnose sarcoidosis. Despite multiple available bronchoscopic modalities to procure tissue samples to diagnose sarcoidosis, the vast majority of evidence favors endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration to diagnose Scadding stages 1 and 2 sarcoidosis. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy is a new technique that is mainly used to aid in the diagnosis of undifferentiated interstitial lung disease; however, we will discuss its potential use in sarcoidosis. This review illustrates the limited information about the different bronchoscopic techniques to aid in the diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis. However, it demonstrates that the combination of available bronchoscopic techniques increases the diagnostic yield for suspected sarcoidosis.

The role of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph nodes

BackgroundEndobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) has become a powerful tool for the diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs). Elastography has been introduced recently to provide more accurate data about the lesions seen during EBUS.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the role of elastography during EBUS for the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal LN.Patients and methodsWe carried out a prospective, cross-sectional study. Patients with hilar/mediastinal LN enlargement on computed tomography examination were included. Convex probe EBUS was performed using conventional B-mode and elastography with transbronchial needle aspiration from the examined LN. All data are presented as mean±SD. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was carried out to find the relative sensitivity and specificity of EBUS elastography and to compare the results with other B-mode findings such as mediastinal LNs.ResultsA total of 147 LNs from 56 patients were examined. Malignancy was found in 111 of them. The strain ratio was found to be more accurate when compared with other findings of B-mode when comparing malignant and benign LNs with a cut-off value of 7.5, giving a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 91.67%. About 63% of malignant LNs were diagnosed from the first pass with the help of elastography.ConclusionElastography is a very helpful tool for diagnosing mediastinal LNs with a strain ratio above 7.5, having a strong suggestion of malignancy. Elastography can help in directing the needle during EBUS-transbronchial needle aspiration to reach the final diagnosis with the least possible number of passes and avoiding unnecessary punctures (ClinicalTrials. gov Identifier: NCT02724059).

Resistance to epithelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in a patient with transformation from lung adenocarcinoma to small cell lung cancer: A case report.

First-generation epithelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have markedly improved the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (non-SCLC) with EGFR-sensitive mutations. However, acquired resistance to these drugs was inevitable. The transformation of lung adenocarcinoma to SCLC following treatment with EGFR-TKIs is a rare phenomenon that contributes to resistance to EGFR-TKIs. The present case concerns a 74-year-old man previously diagnosed with and treated for pneumonia; however, this was later pathologically confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma by transbronchial lung biopsy. Deletion of exon 19 of EGFR was identified by next-generation sequencing technology. The patient improved markedly when treated with gefitinib, but relapsed after 1 year, with markedly increased serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Transformation to SCLC was detected by endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) re-biopsy, which was negative for the deletion of exon 19 of EGFR. The patient was positive for vimentin expression and refractory to etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy, and succumbed to the disease 18 months after diagnosis. Transformation of the disease from adenocarcinoma to SCLC may have been due to cancer heterogeneity. Re-biopsy is therefore important in EGFR-TKI-resistant patients for genetic and histological re-evaluation. NSE serum levels may also be useful for detecting early SCLC transformation.

Multicentric study of endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration for lung cancer staging in Italy

Multi-institutional studies of endobronchial-ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal staging in lung cancer are scarce. It is unclear if the high diagnostic performance of EBUS-TBNA reported by experts' guidelines can be generally achieved. This is a retrospective study performed in five tertiary referral centers of thoracic surgery in Italy, to assess the EBUS-TBNA diagnostic performance in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patient inclusion criteria were: both genders; >18 years old; with suspect/confirmed NSCLC; undergoing EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal node enlargement at computed tomography (size >1 cm, ≤3 cm) and/or pathological uptake at positron emission tomography. Altogether we included 485 patients [male, 366; female, 119; median age, 68 years (IQR, 61-74 years)] undergoing mediastinal staging between January 2011 and July 2016. All EBUS-TBNAs were performed by experienced bronchoscopists, without pre-defined quality standards. Depending on usual practice in each center, EBUS-TBNA was done under conscious sedation, with 21- or 22-Gauge (G) needle, and specimen preparation was cell-block, or cytology slides, or core-tissue. Sampling was classified inadequate in absence of lymphocytes, or when sample was insufficient. We analyzed the EBUS-TBNA procedural steps likely to influence the rate of adequate samplings (diagnostic yield). EBUS-TBNA sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy respectively were 90%, 78% and 93% in the whole cohort. At multivariate analysis, use of 21-G needle was associated with better diagnostic yield (P<0.001). Center and specimen processing technique were not independent factors affecting EBUS-TBNA diagnostic yield. In this multicentric study, EBUS-TBNA was a highly sensitive and accurate method for NSCLC mediastinal node staging. Results indicate better performance of EBUS-TBNA with 21-G needle, and suggest that specimen processing technique could be chosen according to the local practice preference.

Comparison of multiple techniques for endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration specimen preparation in a single institution experience.

The optimal method for specimen preparation of endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is still controversial. This study aims to compare several techniques available for EBUS-TBNA specimen acquisition and processing, in order to identify the best performing technique. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 199 consecutive patients [male, 73%; median age, 64 years (IQR: 52-74 years)] undergoing EBUS-TBNA at our institution from 2012 through 2014 for diagnosis of hilar-mediastinal lymph node enlargement suspect of neoplastic (n=139) or granulomatous (n=60) disease. All procedures were performed by two experienced bronchoscopists, under conscious sedation and local anaesthesia, using 21/22-Gauge (G) needle, without rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). Five specimen-processing techniques were used: cytology slides in 42 cases (21%); cell-block in 25 (13%); core-tissue in 60 (30%); combination of cytology slides and core-tissue in 51 (26%); combination of cytology slides and cell-block in 21 (10%). To assess the diagnostic accuracy of each tissue-processing technique we compared the EBUS-TBNA results to those obtained with surgical lymphadenectomy, or 1-year follow-up in non-operated patients. Diagnostic yield, accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) were as follows. Cytology slides: 81%, 80%, 0.90; cell-block: 48%, 33%, 0.67; core-tissue: 87%, 99%, 0.96; cytology slides + core-tissue: 80%, 100%, 1.00; cytology slides + cell-block: 86%, 100%, 1.00. Cytology slides and core-tissue method showed non-significantly different diagnostic yield (P=0.435) and AUC (P=0.152). In our single-institution experience, cytology slides and core-tissue preparations demonstrated high and similar diagnostic performance. Cytology slides combination with core-tissue or cell-block showed the highest performance, however these combination methods were more resource-consuming.