Affiliations 

  • 1 A R Fauzi, MRCP. Department of Internal Medicine, International Islamic University, Malaysia, P.O. Box 141, 25710 Kuantan, Pahang
  • 2 L Balakrishnan, MRCP. Chest Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru, Johor
  • 3 M Y Rathor, MD. Department of Internal Medicine, International Islamic University, Malaysia, P.O. Box 141, 25710 Kuantan, Pahang
Med J Malaysia, 2003 Dec;58(5):729-34.
PMID: 15190660

Abstract

A retrospective review of all bronchoscopy cases for investigation of lung cancer between January 1997 and December 1999 was done. The cases were included if endobronchial mass was visible (Group A) or when there was an abnormal mucosa and/or bronchial narrowing in the absence of a mass (Group B). All patients in Group A (n = 177) underwent endobronchial biopsy (EB) bronchial brushings (BB) and bronchial washings (BW). All cases in Group B underwent transbronchial biopsy (TBB), BB and BW. Only a small increase in the positive results for cancer was seen when cytology specimens (BB and BW) were added to EB (85.3% vs 88.1%, McNemar's P = 0.06) in Group A but there was a significant increase in Group B (37.3% vs 54.2%. McNemar's, P = 0.001). Therefore although cytology specimens did not significantly add to overall yield of positive results when endobronchial lesions were visible, when mass lesions were not visible, cytology specimens increased the yield by 16.9%.
Study site: Chest clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA), Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.