ASYMPTOMATIC SOLITARY PAPILLOMA OF THE BRONCHUS - REVIEW OF OCCURRENCE IN JAPAN

A case of solitary papilloma of the bronchus is described, and 15 othe r cases occurring in Japan are reviewed. A 57 year old asymptomatic ma le was referred to our hospital because many squamous metaplastic cell s with moderate atypia were observed in sputum cytology, twice in 3 mo nths. The chest X-ray showed no abnormal findings. Endoscopic examinat ion revealed a polypoid tumour at the bifurcation of the right B-6a an d B-6b. The tumour was removed completely by endoscopic biopsy, and hi stological findings showed squamous papilloma. There has been no evide nce of recurrence for 3 yrs. We are not aware of a previously reported case of bronchial papilloma without symptoms or abnormal shadow on ch est X-ray. Considering the fact that malignant change was reported in only one case in Japan, and that there is a possibility of cancer subs equently developing at another location in the lung which might also r equire resection, lobectomy should be avoided if the tumour can be rem oved completely through endoscopy. If the lesion is limited to a small area in the bronchus, conservative treatment such as photodynamic the rapy and/or yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) laser vaporization might be sufficient to obtain a complete cure.