Is there any role for palliative radiation in patients who are intubated due to malignant airway obstruction?

The literature is limited, but this small series showed about 1/4 of patients can have reversal of intubation.

If the patient/family is interested in attempting, it occasionally works, but my own experience is less successful than 1/4. It is unlikely to worsen the situation, so after explaining that ...

Great comments above. This thread is really an example of the best theMednet has to offer - some data, and lots of wisdom from folks with deep experience. Just a few supplementary thoughts from my standpoint...

1. An intubated patient can typically be transported safely in a hospital setting. This happ...

We face this question regularly, as well. Typically, we quote the numbers from the Louie paper referenced by Dr. @Dr. First Last when counseling family members on the potential success of radiotherapy.

We presented our institutional 17 patient experience at ASTRO 2022. We found a 17% rate of success...

Yes, if you can handle the logistics and if you can get them on the table. Depending on path, 10 Gy times 2 with a 1 week interfraction interval.

Is there any role for palliative radiation in patients who are intubated due to malignant airway obstruction?

Depending on the type of the tumor, yes, certainly there is.

Critically ill cancer patients with respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation pose a challenge and a controversy in clinic...