The Presentation of Bronchial Carcinoma

Abstract

Bronchial carcinoma in 4,000 patients investigated over a 15-year period, presented in these ways:

With some or all of the cardinal symptoms of respiratory disease (68%). Daily haemoptysis, and recurrent febrile respiratory illness with complete or incomplete recovery between episodes, were two manners of presentation particularly suggestive of the diagnosis of bronchial carcinoma.

Without symptoms and because of an abnormality detected on a chest radiograph made for routine purposes (5%).

With evidence of extension of or metastases from bronchial carcinoma without respiratory symptoms or with respiratory symptoms long accepted and not recently changed (13%). Evidence of extension of bronchial carcinoma was established by investigation in 45 per cent of the whole series.

With non-specific symptoms such as loss of weight or dyspepsia and without respiratory symptoms (12%).

With unusual symptoms which were not respiratory or with the humoral or neural concomitants of bronchial carcinoma such as hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy without, or with only unobtrusive respiratory symptoms (2%). The incidence of bronchial carcinoma amongst coal miners in the South East Region of Scotland may be disproportionately high.