Multidisciplinary meeting review in nonsmall cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Lung cancer diagnosis, staging and treatment may be enhanced by multidisciplinary participation and presentation in multidisciplinary meetings (MDM). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore literature evidence of clinical impacts of MDM exposure.

Methods: A study protocol was registered (PROSPERO identifier CRD42021258069).

Low bleeding rates following transbronchial lung cryobiopsy in unclassifiable interstitial lung disease.

Background And Objective: Bronchoscopic transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) is a guideline-endorsed alternative to surgical lung biopsy for tissue diagnosis in unclassifiable interstitial lung disease (ILD). The reported incidence of post-procedural bleeding has varied widely. We aimed to characterize the incidence, severity and risk factors for clinically significant bleeding following TBLC using an expert-consensus airway bleeding scale, in addition to other complications and diagnostic yield.

Burden of diagnostic investigations at the end of life for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable, chronic condition that leads to significant morbidity and mortality, with most patients dying in hospital. While diagnostic tests are important for actively managing patients during hospital admissions, the balance between benefit and harm should always be considered. This is particularly important when patients reach the end of life, when the focus is to reduce burdensome interventions.

A Palliative Approach is Adopted for Many Patients Dying in Hospital with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Severe chronic breathlessness in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is undertreated and few patients access specialist palliative care in the years before death. This study aimed to determine if symptom palliation or a palliative approach were delivered during the final hospital admission in which death occurred. Retrospective medical record audits were completed at two Australian hospitals, with all patients who died from COPD over 12 years between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2015 included.

Safety and Efficacy of Radial EBUS for the Investigation of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions in Patients With Advanced COPD.

Background: Peripheral pulmonary lesion (PPL) is a common scenario in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and represents a high risk of malignancy. Severe COPD is associated with higher complication rates following percutaneous biopsy, and routine bronchoscopy. Safety and diagnostic performance of radial endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy (R-EBUS) in patients with advanced COPD has not been previously assessed.

Negative EBUS-TBNA Predicts Very Low Prevalence of Mediastinal Disease in Staging of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Confirmation of mediastinal disease (N2/3) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) generally precludes curative surgical management. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has become a routine first test in mediastinal staging of NSCLC; however, it remains unclear whether a negative EBUS-TBNA should be followed by mediastinoscopy before proceeding to surgery. Understanding the prevalence of metastases in lymph nodes with benign findings on EBUS-TBNA will inform decision making following negative EBUS-TBNA.