PULMONARY-CARCINOMA ASSOCIATED WITH BULLO US EMPHYSEMA

Malignant complication Of Pulmonary bullous disease is rare but not ne gligible. Its importance lies in the young age when it appears. Eighty -nine cases in the literature, including four of our own cases, are in cluded in this review. Etiopathogenic theories are discussed along wit h clinical, radiological, pathological, diagnostic, prognostic, and tr eatment characteristics. Smoking is a primary factor in this process, and quitting is key in terms of prevention. Surgical methods are usual ly necessary to perform the diagnosis, but that does not exclude the u se of other techniques-particularly, fine-needle aspiration biopsy und er radiological control-whose role should be validated. The prognosis is bad if there is no commitment to prevention. Even though the value of serial radiological controls is unknown, such controls may help in the early detection of neoplastic degeneration in bullous disease. The nature of the problem in handling these cases therapeutically is dete rmined by the severity of bullous dystrophy: therefore, surgery should be considered on an individual basis.