Abstract

Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 60 proved patients with lung cancer. Tumors were endoscopically visible in 38 (63.3%) of patients. Of the endoscopically visible tumors, the primary sites of involvement were: main bronchus in 21 (55.3%), lobar bronchus in 14 (36.8%), and segmental bronchus in 3 (7.9%) of patients. Histopathological examination of bronchial biopsies yielded positive diagnosis in 31 (81.6%) of patients, and a combination of bronchial biopsy, bronchial aspirate cytology and postbronchoscopic sputum smear examination yielded diagnosis in 35 (92.1%) of patients with lung cancer. Squamous cell and small cell carcinoma were the common central tumors found in 60% and 28.5%, respectively. Flexible fiber optic bronchoscopy is a valuable technique for the diagnosis of endoscopically visible bronchial carcinoma.
 
 Keywords: fibreoptic bronchoscopy, lung cancer, histopathological, endoscopically.