BTOG 2017 | EBUS and CT-guided biopsy in repeat biopsies of patients with progressive lung cancer

Neal Navani, MA, MBBS, MRCP, MSc, PhD, University College London, London, UK, discusses the differences in the application of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and CT-guided biopsies at diagnosis versus repeat biopsy after disease progression (second-line).

Both techniques are well established for diagnosing lung cancer and have traditionally been used for initial diagnosis. However, there is an increasing need to perform a repeat biopsy of tumours that are progressing after first-line treatment. This can provide insights into why the tumour has become resistant to the treatment and inform tailored second-line treatment decisions.

Dr Navani explains differences in the application of these techniques between the first-line and second-line settings, highlighting that patient consent to a repeat biopsy is critical.
He also discusses reasons behind the reduced sensitivity of the techniques in the second-line setting and how these need to be reflected when discussing options with patients.

Recorded at the 2017 meeting of the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) in Dublin, Ireland.