LUNG-CANCER IN ELDERLY PATIENTS - THE ROLE OF INDUCED SPUTUM PRODUCTION TO OBTAIN A CYTOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

A single induced sputum sample using hypertonic saline and a ward nebu lizer was obtained from 24/26 (92%) patients prior to fibreoptic bronc hoscopy for suspected bronchial carcinoma. In 11 of the 19 patients la ter found to have bronchial carcinoma, positive cytology was found in the induced sputum sample (58% sensitivity), with no false positives ( 100% specificity). These results are higher than those reported for or dinary sputum samples. They suggest a possible role for this technique in diagnosing bronchial carcinoma in elderly patients in whom broncho scopy may be considered hazardous, or where this facility is not readi ly available.