Primary Neoplasms of the Lung

¹ The Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee College of Medicine.

The pathology, clinical diagnosis and treatment of the various primary pulmonary neoplasms is discussed.

A list of these tumors encountered in our practice and gleaned from the literature is presented and the principle pathologic characteristics of each is described. The actual or potential malignancy of almost all of them is emphasized.

An attempt is made to stimulate the physician's suspicion of the presence of a bronchial or pulmonary neoplasm early in the disease, and a routine of examinations is proposed to reveal the diagnosis as early as possible. Special factors to be observed during the course of the examinations are mentioned. The manner in which carcinoma of the bronchus may simulate pulmonary tuberculosis or "virus pneumonia," or be masked by associated pulmonary suppuration, is emphasized, and examination for bronchial neoplasms is urged before a long time is expended applying the many chemotherapeutic and antibiotic drugs.

The extent of resection necessary for the complete extirpation of the various primary pulmonary neoplasms is discussed, and measures to make life more endurable for those patients whose tumors are inoperable are described.

Illustrative case histories are presented, and one new case of alveolar cell carcinoma of the lung is reported.