[A study of the coexistence of pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchogenic carcinoma: results of a questionnaire in Chugoku and Shikoku areas]

Abstract

A study to obtain information on the relation between tuberculosis and carcinoma of the lung was carried out in 24 hospitals in Chugoku and Shikoku areas during the period from January 1979 to December 1988 using a questionnaire. As a result of this survey, 142 cases of coexisting active pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchogenic carcinoma were reported during the period. The incidence of coexisting cases was 2.32% of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 2.22% of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. The foci of tuberculosis and carcinoma were found more often in the same lobe than in different lobes. The proportions of histological types of bronchogenic carcinoma were as follows: squamous cell carcinoma 43.9%, adenocarcinoma 36.0%, small cell carcinoma 16.5% and large cell carcinoma 3.6%. These findings were not significantly different from those in the general population. No significant difference in the proportions of histological types was found by coexisting lobe. some cases indicated that coexisting tuberculosis gave a favorable influence to the prognosis of lung cancer.