A Case of Endobronchial Metastasis of Colon Cancer in Which Previous Bronchial Artery Embolization Was Effective for Endoscopic Debulking by Cryotherapy

Airway stenosis after endobronchial metastasis is rare; however, its occurrence threatens prognosis and quality of life. Methods to resolve malignant airway obstruction bronchoscopically include argon plasma coagulation and cryotherapy. However, procedural bleeding is problematic in many cases. Bronchial arterial embolization (BAE) of the branches supplying the tumor vessels before the procedure has been reported to be effective in preventing the procedural bleeding. In this study, we report the case of a 70-year-old woman with multiple severe stenoses of the right main bronchus secondary to endobronchial metastasis from transverse colon cancer. Cryotherapy was conducted in this patient to relieve airway stenosis. BAE's effects were directly compared in this case, which is unique to the bronchoscopic findings because BAE is performed sometimes before cryotherapy. Patients who underwent BAE experienced reduced bleeding during the procedure and fewer visual field defects than those who did not undergo BAE. The tumor reduction was more effective after performing BAE. BAE may be effective before cryotherapy in endobronchial metastasis cryotherapy of colon cancer, similar to others.