Cytologic characterization of bronchial epithelial changes in small cell carcinoma of the lung

Cytologic specimens obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy were examined in 111 cases; the diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the lung was established with this procedure. The findings of cytologic examination were compared to those of histologic examination of the biopsy specimens obtained simultaneously. Our aim was to evaluate other cell components in the specimen besides small cell carcinoma. The majority of the cases showed morphologic changes in the bronchial epithelium, which ranged from benign squamous metaplasia (59%) to atypical squamous metaplasia (8%) and squamous cell carcinoma (8%). In 6% of cases a large cell carcinoma component was found in addition to the small cell carcinoma. The findings show a good correlation with those of histologic examination of the biopsy specimens, indicating that cytologic examination is an excellent procedure for detecting concomitant changes in the bronchial epithelium in the setting of small cell carcinoma of the lung.