Point: Are > 50 supervised procedures required to develop competency in performing endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for mediastinal staging? Yes

摘要

The incidence of lung cancer continues to increase worldwide. The cornerstone of therapy relies on appropriate staging and timely treatment. The Union for International Cancer Control seventh edition TNM classification for lung cancer is based on the retrospective analysis of > 80,000 patients with lung cancer treated between 1990 and 2000. This classification uses the TNM to describe the anatomic extent of disease. The objectives of the TNM classification are as follows: help the clinician plan treatment, guide prognosis, assist in treatment evaluation, provide a common language for exchange of information, and contribute to the continued investigation of human cancer.1