Our center devotes to extensive and intensive development of the capacity of interventional bronchoscopy and cooperates with a lung cancer team to provide holistic care services. There are two types of bronchoscopy: diagnostic bronchoscopy and therapeutic bronchoscopy. The diagnostic bronchoscopy includes endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and autofluorescence bronchoscopy. The therapeutic bronchoscopy includes endobronchial electrosurgery, airway stent insertion, balloon dilatation, foreign body removal and the bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous dilational tracheostomy which improves the narrowed and blocked airway caused by lesions. In recent years, we have introduced thoracoscopy, cryotherapy and argon plasma coagulation (APC) to strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases.

Over the course of successful development of personal medicine of lung cancer, biological markers and furtherer research are essential foundation for rigorous clinical trials. We closely work with the department of pathology to develop various genetic tests for lung cancer in order to integrate diagnoses and treatments perfectly and improve patients’ prognoses. For instance, the genetic tests on EGFR and ALK for signs of mutation are critical for choosing target medication, immunotherapy and chemotherapy for patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

According to the research, EGFR-TKI demonstrates higher efficiency in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation.

The activating mutations of EGFR occur in approximately <10% of NSCLC cases in Caucasian patients and approximately one-third in East Asian patients; therefore, EGFR-TKI demonstrates higher efficiency in East Asian patients than that in Caucasian patients.

Additionally, we collaborate closely with the Division of Thoracic Surgery in order to offer comprehensive services from quality lung cancer surgeries to an array of treatment options. We usually adopt thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer, of which the operative time is shorter than that of traditional thoracotomy. In addition, advantages of the thoracoscopic lobectomy include decreased pain, decreased inflammatory response, less complications, preserved postoperative pulmonary function, shorter duration of chest tube, shorter length of stay, faster recovery, more rapid return to preoperative activity and increased life quality.