Le staging endoscopique

Mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer has major therapeutic and prognostic implications. Invasive surgical staging remains the gold standard but two recent endoscopic techniques have been introduced and have challenged the surgical techniques. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) are minimally invasive techniques that can be performed ambulatory under local anesthesia and are safe. These techniques allow real-time guided aspiration of mediastinal (hilar) lymph nodes with excellent accuracy and should be considered as alternatives to surgical staging. Surgical assessment remains indicated when the prevalence of lymph node involvement is low or when EBUS or EUS show negative results.