The Role of Conventional Bronchoscopic Procedures in the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopic sampling methods in lung carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Bronchoscopic data acquired from patients who were diagnosed with primary lung cancer in our clinic were retrospectively analysed. After the registration of the demographic characteristics, bronchoscopic findings and the results of pathological examinations, the sensitivities of conventional bronchoscopic procedures were noted in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Pearson's correlation analysis was used in statistical analysis of the results. Results: Ninety-three per cent of 121 cases diagnosed as bronchial carcinoma in our clinic between October 2009 and October 2011 were males. Mean age of the patients was 65 +/- 9 (range 44-85) years. Diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy was 91% in lung cancer. Rate of diagnosis was 86% in the combination of bronchial forceps biopsy and bronchial lavage, improving to 90% in the combination of bronchial forceps biopsy and bronchial brushing. Bronchial lavage was positive only in one of 18 patients with negative bronchial forceps biopsy. Whereas five of the six (83%) of these 18 patients who had been given bronchial brushing had a positive result. The diagnostic accuracy of bronchial forceps biopsy, bronchial brushing, and bronchial lavage were 87%, 73%, 28%, respectively, in the patients with direct tumour findings. The diagnostic accuracy was 63% for bronchial brushing, 50% for bronchial forceps biopsy, and 16% for bronchial lavage in patients with indirect tumour findings. Conclusion: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is one of the highest sensitive tools for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Bronchial forceps biopsy gave the highest accuracy in this study. The combination of bronchial brushing and bronchial forceps biopsy gives the best results.