Bronchoscopic detection of bronchogenic carcinoma in cases of pneumonia

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine what factors would be useful in making a decision to do bronchoscopy to look for an obstructing carcinoma in cases of pneumonia. The study showed that in pneumonia limited to one lobe of the lung, which occurs in a heavy smoker over 50 years of age, and which does not have complete resolution by chest roentgenogram after three weeks of antibiotic therapy, bronchoscopy gives a very high positive yield for tumor when an obstructing bronchogenic carcinoma is present. Sputum cytology should be done routinely in patients with pneumonia limited to one lobe, but according to our study tumor cells will be found in only about 30% of patients having an obstructing carcinoma.