Lung cancer is the most deadly tumor, it causes more death than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined.Approximately 75% of patients with lung cancer will have locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and it has been estimated that about 30% of patients will develop obstruction of the airways at some point in their disease and that about 30% will die from pulmonary complications such as hypoxemia, hemoptysis or postobstructive pneumonia. Advances in bronchoscopic tools and techniques have provided interventional pulmonologists with a wide array of therapeutic options that can be used individually or in combination to match the needs of all patients. It is well proven now that restoring central airway patency has a significant impact on symptoms, pulmonary function, quality of life, and in selected patients even on survival.
