Sputum cytology in bronchogenic carcinomas

• Main Authors: Rahjan agrawal, Y K Jain
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nepal Medical Association 2013-04-01
• Series: Journal of Nepal Medical Association
• Online Access: http://jnma.com.np/jnma/index.php/jnma/article/view/769

Sputum cytology is an important investigation in the diagnosis of lung malignancies. The study was thus aimed at evaluating the role of sputum smears in bronchogenic carcinomas. A total of 80 cases were included in the study. The positivity rate for various subtypes was squamous cell carcinoma (50%), large cell carcinoma (50%), non-hodgkins lymphoma (50%), secondaries (40%), small cell carcinoma (37.5%), hodgkins lymphoma (33.33%) and adenocarcinoma (30.77%). Peripherally located malignant lesions have a reduced chance of being expectorated out in the sputum. Early morning samples are the best sample for diagnosis. It was thus concluded that Sputum cytology is important as an investigation to be carried out simultaneously with other techniques in detecting occult malignancies. KEY WORDS: Sputum Cytology, Bronchogenic Carcinoma