[Diagnosis of central cancer of the lungs]

Data on 396 patients with central cancer of the lung admitted to the thoracal department of the Petrov Research Institute of Oncology and the City Oncological Dispensary in 1985-1986 are presented. In 94 of them (23.7%) the disease was diagnosed by prophylactic roentgenofluorography, in 302 (76.3%)--in consultation with a doctor. Operability of the patients of the first group was somewhat higher than in those of the second group. During the two years under analysis the roentgenofluorography detected central cancer of the lung in 266 patients (11%). Radical operations were performed in 48 patients (18%), while in patients consulted by doctors after the appearance of clinical symptoms of the disease, resectability made up 13.3%. Main efforts should be directed to the active detection of central cancer of the lung in patients who addressed the polyclinic for lung symptoms.