16th February 2025

A 76-year-old woman with a background of lung cancer presents with shortness of breath

A 76-year-old woman with a background of lung cancer presents with shortness of breath. She reports progressive breathlessness since she was diagnosed 2 years ago, but over the last 4 days this has become much worse.

Her observations are as follows: sats 92% on room air, HR 108 bpm, T 37.5 degrees Celsius, RR 24/minute.

Chest X-ray shows a known primary lung lesion with no consolidation.

What is the most appropriate next stage in her management?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.