The Diagnostic Yield of Bronchoscopic Techniques for Endobronchially Visible and Non-Visible Lung Cancer Lesions: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Lung cancer diagnosis remains a challenge, especially for endobronchially non-visible lesions. This prospective cohort study evaluates the diagnostic yield of various bronchoscopic techniques for endobronchially visible and non-visible lung cancer lesions. We enrolled 100 patients with suspected lung cancer and collected bronchial washings,bronchial brushings and performed endobronchial biopsy. Our study has shown that bronchial biopsy is the bronchoscopic procedure that can give maximum diagnostic yield in a patient with an endobronchially visible lesion, while in patients with no visible endobronchial growth, bronchial brushings gives maximum diagnostic yield thus proving the significance of performing bronchial brushings, even in patients with mere areas of mucosal irregularity on bronchoscopy and an otherwise non-visible growth on bronchoscopy.