Nodular‐type central squamous cell lung carcinoma cured by intraluminal bronchoscopic treatment: A case report

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) often occurs in the trachea and bronchi. Recently, intraluminal bronchoscopic treatment (IBT) has emerged as an option for curative treatment, not just surgery, in patients with central early‐stage SqCC (CES‐SqCC). However, patients that can be cured by IBT are limited. We report a rare case of CES‐SqCC that was surgically confirmed to be cured by IBT alone. A 72‐year‐old woman had a nodular bronchial tumor at the bifurcation of right upper and intermediate bronchi. For histological diagnosis, the tumor was resected and incinerated using high‐frequency snare (HFS). Obtained specimens were diagnosed as SqCC; wedge resection of the bifurcation was performed to remove the residual lesion. However, no malignant findings were found in the excised specimens. Some patients with CES‐SqCC may be cured by aggressive diagnostic bronchoscopy. The risk of postoperative complications cannot be ignored because the surgery requires bronchoplasty in patients with CES‐SqCC. For patients with CES‐SqCC, surgical resection may be avoided by detailed assessment of residual lesion with radial probe endobronchial ultrasonography (RP‐EBUS).