[Brushings and bronchial biopsies in small-cell cancer. Comparison of results]

The typing of bronchial carcinoma is important for therapeutic decisions and may be made on bronchial brushings. Sixty six small cell and poorly differentiated squamous cancers were studied. Our personal method of preparing brushing is suggested. The cytological criteria which characterise the two tumour types were analysed. The results from the biopsies and particularly the brushings were related to the quality of the technique and the experience of the Pathologist. There is a good correlation between biopsy and brushing such that brushings may be considered reliable. In cases where the biopsy was not feasible or uninterpretable, brushings confirmed a cancer in all the cases and the type of cancer in eleven. The examination is inexpensive and avoids the need for ultrastructural studies in the majority of cases.