OCCULT CARCINOMA OF BRONCHUS

Abstract

The term occult carcinoma is applied to those patients with carcinoma of the bronchus at an in situ or early invasive stage who have carcinoma cells in their sputum but have no recognizable evidence of tumor in the chest radiograph. In 8 patients at the Toronto General Hospital, the lesion was localized and treatment instituted. Experience with these patients can be compared with that of 27 patients described in 2 similar studies. The lesions were commonly symptomatic. Localization, although sometimes difficult, was accomplished using information obtained during bronchoscopy and bronchography. The prognosis folio ving adequate resection appeared excellent. No patient died of carcinoma during the post-treatment follow-up period, which was continued for a minimum of 18 mo. Pathological evidence indicates that bronchial carcinoma at this occult stage can be diagnosed cytologically, is rarely multifocal and, as a localized neoplasm, is amenable to curative therapy.