BRONCHOGENIC-CARCINOMA - RADIOLOGIC-PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Bronchogenic carcinoma is the leading cause of death from cancer in me n and women in the United States. Although the cause of this malignanc y is probably multifactorial, approximately 85% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to cigarette smoking. Patients may present with sympt oms of airway obstruction caused by central tumors, symptoms related t o direct tumor invasion of surrounding structures, or symptoms produce d by distant metastases. There are four major cell types: adenocarcino ma, squamous cell carcinoma, undifferentiated large cell carcinoma, an d small cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma are generally peripheral lesions manifesting as solitary no dules or masses, whereas squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcin oma are typically central and may manifest as hilar masses, atelectasi s, or pneumonia. The prognosis for patients with bronchogenic carcinom a is poor, with an overall 5-year survival of 10%-15%. In general, pat ients with squamous cell carcinoma have the best prognosis, those with adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma have an inte rmediate prognosis, and those with small cell carcinoma have the worst prognosis.