Abstract

No report on cytopathology of the lung cancer is published in Korea. For this reason, the present study is to describe the positivity of cytologic examination and accuracy of cytologic cell typing for cancer of the lung with the cases histologically diagnosed. Cytopathological evaluation of a total of 89 cases of cancer of the lung, both cytopathologically and histologically examined, was Performed, from January 1973 to June 1975 at the department of pathology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 1. Among 89 crises, the frequency was as fellows: epidermoid carcinoma, 61.8% : undifferentiated small cell carcinoma, 20.22%: bronchogenic adenocarcinoma and metastatic carcinoma, 4.5%. 2. Age and sex incidences were 82.01% distribution over the age of 40 and male preponderance. 3. Both sputum and bronchial washing show positive cytology in 68 (76.4%) of 89 cases and negative cytology in 21 cases(23.6%). The rate of cytopathologic diagnosis higher in epidermoid carcinoma, 87. 2%, and alveolar cell carcinoma, 100%, but was lessor in bronchogenic adenocarcinoma, 62. 5%, and undifferentiated small cell carcinoma, 61. 1%. 4. The positivity in sputum only was 58(67.44%) of 86 crises examined, and in bronchial washing only was 46 (69.70%) of 66 cases examined. 5. Of the 58 positive sputum cytology cases, positivity in first sputum was 32 crises(55.2%) and in three successive sputum samples was increased to 94.9%. So, three successive sputum examination was recommended for minimum requirement in routine procedure to obtain higher diagnostic rate. 6. Consistent rate of cytopathologic diagnosis with histologic diagnosis was differ in cell type as fellows; epidermoid carcinoma, 44(91.67%) of 48 cases; undifferentiated small cell carcinoma, 10(90.91%) of 11 cases examined; bronchogenic adenocarcinoma, 4 of 5 cased (85%); alveolar cell carcinoma, 4 of 4 cases (100%). In summary, the positivity of the sputum and bronchial washings was about 70% and almost same. Cytopathological diagnosis, for cell type of cancer of the lung was apparently quite accurate. There, however, was no significant difference and meaning in raising positivity over 3 Successive Sputum Samples.