[Endoscopic treatment of metastasis in the main bronchi from sarcoma: a report of 2 cases].

Leiomyosarcoma is a cancer that can affect the soft tissues or organs. The standard treatment is complete tumor resection. Prognosis is difficult to predict and distant metastases can occur after a long disease-free period. Lung metastases are common but metastasis to the main bronchi with pulmonary atelectasis is very rare. We describe 2 cases of pulmonary atelectasis and obstructive pneumonitis due to metastasis to the main bronchi from leiomyosarcoma of the uterus in one of the patients and leiomyosarcoma of the thigh in the other. Both patients were treated with endoscopic resection. We discuss the role of endoscopic laser treatment in the palliation of symptoms and as an initial procedure before other cancer treatments are started. Copyright (c) 2009 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.