Bronchoscopic interventions combined with percutaneous modalities for the treatment of thyroid cancers with airway invasion

This study was designed to explore the effectiveness and safety of the combination of bronchoscopic interventions and percutaneous modalities in treating thyroid cancers with airway invasion. A total of 13 patients, 5 men and 8 women, were retrospectively included into this study. All patients received bronchoscope treatment. Rigid bronchoscope was used to explore, ventilate, and dilate airway obstruction for temporary control in nine patients. Tumors were scavenged by CO₂ cryosurgery combined with argon plasma coagulation (APC) in 11 patients. Four covered Z-type recoverable tracheal stents were selected for four patients. All patients had good airway control and palliative respiratory symptoms following treatments. Ten patients were further treated with CT guided ¹²⁵I seed permanent implantation, and one patient was treated with argon–helium cryoablation. The median local control was 22 months (10–55 months). The follow-up period ranged from 10 to 55 months (median 22 months). Three patients (23.1 %) died of local recurrence, one of whom was due to airway obstruction and poor physical condition, two of whom with bleeding from relapsed tumor. One patient (7.7 %) died of acute myocardial infraction. Nine patients (69.2 %) were still alive according to the last follow-up. ¹²⁵I seed implantation and argon–helium cryoablation did not induce apparent complications. The combination of bronchoscopic interventions and percutaneous modalities might be a feasible and safe method for thyroid cancer patients with airway invasion.