Lung Cancer

In some people with inoperable lung cancer, the tumour blocks one of the larger airways, causing problems with breathing. Polyp-like tumours may be removed by diathermy resection (also called electrocautery or thermocautery). 

A diathermy resection procedure involves a tube being put down the windpipe (bronchoscope). This tube has an electrical current passed through it with a probe that destroys tumour tissue and cancer cells blocking the airway. It can be used on its own or is sometimes used along with internal radiotherapy.  

The procedure takes about half an hour and can cause bleeding and a sore throat afterwards. It is done under a general anaesthetic.

One woman described how she felt before she had a tumour removed from an airway using diathermy resection. She had pain, great difficulty with her breathing, and 'was in a panic'.

Before her operation, which was done using a flexible bronchoscope, she was given a sedative. She remembers waking up in the ward after the procedure feeling much better, breathing easily, without the need for oxygen. She did not recall any side effects of the operation.

Recalls her pain and panic when she could not breathe because her airway was blocked.

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Recalls her pain and panic when she could not breathe because her airway was blocked.

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Age at interview: 58

Sex: Female

Age at diagnosis: 58

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I started to get pains, I couldn't breathe. My chest was gurgly like I'd got a microphone inside, gurgly [pause], it felt like somebody was squeezing my chest together and I couldn't squeeze out.    

Can you summarise how you felt about the breathing? How did it feel exactly?

Frightening, really scary. One minute I could walk about and do things, and then three days later I couldn't do anything, I'd got no strength.

And you couldn't get your breath?

I couldn't, "no", you try to cough and you think it would go away, but it didn't go this time  [pause], the worst part was not being able to breathe, that's what frightened me the most.

I really thought I was having a heart attack. That was strange. Because the pain is horrendous.

Where were the pains?

Across my chest. When you breathe in it was tight and I couldn't breathe out, and I think that was the panicky thing, that I couldn't breathe, and I'd never known anything like that before.  

The diathermy resection made it much easier for her to breathe.

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The diathermy resection made it much easier for her to breathe.

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Age at interview: 58

Sex: Female

Age at diagnosis: 58

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After that [the diathermy resection] I could breathe and I sat up, and I couldn't believe it, that I could breathe again. It was amazing, really, you know, an amazing feeling.

So the operation had improved the situation?

Yes, You know I didn't even feel rough or anything afterwards. I just felt great. I think I remember waking up because I had my dinner not long after. 

Several other methods can be used to reopen a blocked airway, including:

• internal radiotherapy/brachytherapy (localised radiation)
• photodynamic (laser) therapy (which burns the tumour out of the airway)
• radiofrequency ablation (uses radio waves)
• cryosurgery (see 'Cryosurgery and other treatments for lung cancer').

An advantage of diathermy resection over some other methods is that diathermy improves breathing immediately, but with some other methods the improvement in breathing may take some time.