[Diagnosis and treatment of primary bronchial low-grade malignant tumors]

From Jan. 1978 to July 1992, 24 cases with primary bronchial low-grade malignant tumors were be operated at our hospital. They were collected from 1016 cases with primary pulmonary malignant tumors in the same period treated in our hospital. The incidence was 2.36%. Eleven cases were of bronchial carcinoid, 10 were mucoepidermoid, and 3 were adenoid cystic carcinoma. The preoperative disease history was average 19.6 months. The resection rate was 95.8% (23/24). Postoperative 5-year survival was 70%. Even though the operation was palliative resection, the cases can life many years with tumor. In the group, the malignancy of mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the highest. The authors agree to discard the traditional term "bronchial adenoma". The clinical and pathological characteristics of every type of the tumors were discussed.