[Ultrastructure of pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma as a prognostic factor in surgical treatment]

163 operated on patients were divided into 2 groups: the 1st group--those surviving 5 years without recurrence (44.2%) and the 2nd group--those dying earlier from the tumour progression (55.8%). Central carcinoma was in 104, peripheral one in 59 cases. The number of dark cells (DC) and the degree of desmosome development revealed ultrastructurally have the greatest practical importance as the favourable course in the 1st group was associated with the absence or low number of DC (7%) and the high number of desmosomes (89%). These indices were found in the 2nd group in 86 and 41%, respectively. Both indices are of independent importance and are not associated with the spread of the carcinoma. The level of DC is of greater importance. Prognosis of the squamous cell carcinoma is the worse the higher is DC number in the tumour and the lower the desmosome number.