The role of thoracoscopy in the management of cancer patients.

Thoracoscopy or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has become an important tool in the management of thoracic diseases. Most thoracic procedures are first attempted using a VATS technique. Thoracoscopy has an important role in managing malignancies that present with symptoms or lesions in the chest. Although the primary role is diagnostic, in the case of non-thoracic malignancies, VATS also has an important palliative treatment role, as in dealing with pleural and pericardial effusions and metastatic deposits.