Bronchogenic carcinoma. A study of 109 cases

The clinical profile of 109 cases of bronchogenic carcinoma has been studied. Definite histopathological typing of malignancy was possible in 61 patients, squamous cell carcinoma being the commonest tumour in 27 followed by small cell carcinoma in 16, adenocarcinoma in 11 and large cell carcinoma in 7. Another 23 patients showed changes suggestive of malignancy on histological/cytological examination. Definitive diagnosis was obtained in half of the patients by bronchial biopsy, in 16% by bronchial aspiration fluid cytology, in 13% by pleural biopsy, in 11% by lymph node biopsy and in others by pleural fluid cytology, lung biopsy and skin biopsy. Commonest radiological involvement among different cell types was hilar involvement in small cell carcinoma in 62%, evidence of bronchial obstruction (collapse/consolidation) in squamous cell carcinoma in 56%, peripheral mass in adenocarcinoma in 54% and cavitation in a mass in squamous cell carcinoma in 15% cases.