Endoscopic diagnosis of precancerous lesions of the bronches.

The bronchial epithelial alterations preceeding squamous cell lung cancers can be detected in the proximal bronchial tree, using autofluorescence endo scopic techniques. As compared to the usual fiberoptic bronchoscopy, these techniques improve both the detection rate and the superficial endobronchia l spread assessment of high grade lesions such as severe dysplasia and carc inoma in situ. These techniques also make it possible to detect very early lesions such as low grade dysplasia. Recent studies using autofluorescence endoscopy have shown a high prevalenc e of these precancerous lesions of the bronchus in high risk individuals. L ongitudinal endoscopy follow-up studies are currently conducted in order to study their evolutivity.