H. Miura et al., ASYMPTOMATIC SOLITARY PAPILLOMA OF THE BRONCHUS - REVIEW OF OCCURRENCE IN JAPAN, The European respiratory journal, 6(7), 1993, pp. 1070-1073
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.