[Classification of the disease and pathologic type of bronchogenic carcinoma (III) (author's transl)]

The classification of bronchogenic carcinoma according to its extension and evolutive stages is useful in order to be able to organize epidemiologic and therapeutic studies, as well for exchanging information. At the present time, however, it is very difficult to establish a common classification for all of the groups working on bronchogenic carcinoma. The Bronchogenic Carcinoma Cooperative Group classified the cases following parameters such as operability, resectability, localized or generalized disease, and do not completely agree with the value of the TNM classifications. In the same way in respect to the different pathologic type of bronchogenic carcinoma, the traditional decision not to operate that follows the presentation of the undifferentiated types comes under discussion. This is due to the wide diagnostic variability in the evaluation of the different pathologic types according to the experience of various pneumopathologists published in the literature.