• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 2009

Lung cancer is a type of cancer with high mortality; its 5-year survival rate is at a low 14%. Related cytological tests include sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing and fine needle aspiration cytology test etc. From the test specimens in which sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing, and fine needle aspiration cytology were performed, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between cytology test and histology test. In the sputum test, sensitivity was 27.71% and specificity was 98.02%, and the bronchial brushing test showed sensitivity of 93.33% and a specificity of 91.3%. The bronchial washing test was a sensitivity of 53.7% and its specificity was 98.9%, and the fine needle aspiration cytology test showed sensitivity and specificity were 88.46% and 72.97%, respectively. In the specimens diagnosed as normal at the sputum test, malignant diagnosis was found in 21 specimens of bronchial brushing, 30 cases of bronchial washings and 37 cases of fine needle aspiration cytology specimens. In the specimens diagnosed as normal at the bronchial washing test, malignant diagnosis was found in 5 specimens of sputum, 7 specimens of bronchial brushin and 1 cases of fine needle aspiration cytology. One specimens found to be normal in fine needle aspiration cytology turned out to maligant in sputum test. The result of this research shows that, in diagnosis lung cancer, a test method of high sensitivity and specificity should be pursued. However, depending on the location and malignancy of the illness, diagnosis may not be obtained in some cases. Therefore, we conclude that the cytological tests performed for lung cancer testing such as sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing, and fine needle aspiration cytology should be carried out in a mutually complementary manner.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.817-825
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• 1999

Background : Forceps biopsy, bronchial brushing, and bronchial washing are used in conjunction with bronchoscopy to provide specimens for histologic and cytologic analysis in patients with suspected lung cancer. This study was performed to evaluate how many times brushing should be done and how much fluid should be used during bronchial washing for increasing diagnostic yield, and to evaluate which combination of these procedures gives the highest diagnostic yield. Methods : Forty patients, with suspected lung cancer, who had bronchoscopically visible lesions were enrolled in this prospective study. During one bronchoscopic examination four forceps biopsies, four bronchial brushings, and bronchial washing were done in all patients. The patients were divided into four groups by the amount of normal saline used for bronchial washing; group I, 10 ml ; group II, 20ml ; group III 30ml, and group IV, 40ml. We analyzed the results in 36 patients confirmed as lung cancer. Results : The diagnostic sensitivity of bronchial washing before and after forceps biopsy and bronchial brushing were 36% and 28%, respectively. The cumulative diagnostic sensitivity of bronchial washing was 47% and significantly higher than that of bronchial washing before or after forceps biopsy and bronchial brushing (p<0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity of bronchial washing with saline of 30ml was significantly higher than that of bronchial washing with saline of 10ml or 20ml (p<0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity of the first brushing was 75%, the second brushing 78%, the third brushing 83%, and the fourth brushing 67%. With repeated brushing up to three times, the diagnostic sensitivity increased to 92% (p<0.05). However, inclusion of the fourth brushing did not give a further increase of the diagnostic sensitivity. The diagnostic sensitivity of forceps biopsy was 86%. The diagnostic sensitivities of forceps biopsy by the type of bronchial lesion were as follows: tumor, 88%; infiltration, 67%; infiltration with nodularity, 80%; and collapse, 100%. The combination of forceps biopsy and bronchial washing gave a diagnostic sensitivity of 89%. The diagnostic sensitivity of combining forceps biopsy with bronchial brushing was 97%. Addition of bronchial washing did not increase the diagnostic yield over forceps biopsy and bronchial brushing. Conclusion : In patients with central lung cancer, forceps biopsies and repeated brushings up to three times should be done for maximal diagnostic yield.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 1995

Adenoid cystic carcinoma arising from the submucosal glands of the trachea and bronchial tree is rare. The histopathology and natural history of bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma have been well documented, but detailed descriptions of its cytomorphology are few. We report a case of primary bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 20-year-old female, diagnosed by bronchial brushing cytology. The cytologic specimens showed large clusters of small cells arranged around cystlike spaces containing globular basophilic material.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 1999

A case of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma(MFH) of the lung occurring in a 62-year-old man is presented. After preoperative bronchial blushing and washing cytologic diagnosis of poorly differentiated carcinoma, surgical resection and lymph nodes dissection were performed. Subsequent histologic examination revealed a primary MFH. The diagnosis was confirmed by electron microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations. The review of the bronchial brushing and washing cytologic features disclosed many bipolar and a few unipolar spindle tumor cells with a "comel" configuration, mainly single cells, but also forming loose clusters. The nuclei were elongated and hyperchromatic and contained one or more irregular nucleoli. Scattered bizarre, multinucleated tumor giant cells were also present.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 1991

In order to evaluate the role of cytopathologic diagnosis of sputum, bronchial washing and bronchial blushing in the diagnosis of lung cancer, we performed this study. The patients included in this study had undergone sputum, bronchial washing and brushing cytology over the 20-month period of 1985 through 1987. The total number of specimens was 5,495 of 2,242 patients, including 4,830 sputa and 665 bronchial washing and brushings. The average number of sputa and bronchial washings and brushings per case was 2.4 and 1.2 respectively. Among them, about 10% were unsatisfactory specimen, and three-fourths were negative specimens. In sputum cytology, the diagnosis of "atypical cells" was given to 3%, "suspicious for malignancy" was given to 1 %, and "malignancy" was given to 13%. In bronchial washing and brushing cytology, the diagnosis of "atypical cells", "suspicious for malignancy" and malignancy" was given to 6%, 3%, and 20% respectively The cases diagnosed as "atypical cells" in cytology were actually malignancy in 95% and 84.8% of sputum and bronchial washing and brushings respectively, and the "suspicious for malignancy" were actually malignancy in 100% in both methods. The detection rates of malignancy were 504% and 55.2% in sputum and bronchial washing and blushing respectively, and the specificity was 100% in both methods. The accuracy of cell typing was 92% in sputum and 89.7% in bronchial washing and blushing.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.138-145
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• 1983

The value of exfoliative sputum cytology in diagnosis of lung cancer has been accepted with bronchoscopic technique and results has been much improved by foreign investigators, but there was not presented accurate reports for sputum cytologic evaluation in Korea. We tried to find indicators of cytologic tests result in our hospital. During the period between May, 1980 and August, 1982, 400 patients, tested at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Kosin Medical College, had diagnostic bronchofiberscopic examination, and the cytologic study of sputum and bronchial secretions were performed. The sputum or bronchial secretion during bronchofiberscopic examination were obtained with various methods and the name of specimen were labeled as I, ASPIRATION SPUTUM, which was collected initially endobronchial sputum as introducing of scope, II, WASHING SPUTUM, which was collected washing bronchial secretion, III, BRUSHING SPUTUM, which was washing solution of brushing instrument and endobronchial sputum after brushing of lesions, IV, POST-SCOPIC SPUTUM, which was expectorated sputum as soon as removing of scopic instrument, V, ALL SPUTUM CYTOLOGY & CELL BLOCK, which was collected all specimen of above procedures. The diagnostic results of bronchofiberscopic examination was disclosed 174 cases [43.5%] of proved lung cancer, 47 cases [11.8%] of suspected lung cancer in grossly, and 179 cases [44.8%] of others finding except cancer. Patient with bronchofiberscopically grossly evidence of lung cancer which were not confirmed histologically or cytologically were excluded from this cytologic study. Histologic and cytologic correlation in proven lung cancer, 174 cases was revealed that number of cytologic positive patients were 45 cases [38.7%] among the 117 cases of proved squamous cell carcinoma, 12 cases [38.7%] among hislogically unknown cancer 34 cases and 6 cases [33.3%] among small cell undifferentiated carcinoma 18 Gases. Total cytologic positive result was presented as 67 cases [38.3%]. The other type of lung cancer, histologically, could not comparison because of small cases. The sequence of positive cytologic result in I-V specimen were disclosed as II, WASHING SPUTUM 57.6%, and V, ALL SPUTUM & CELL BLOCK 41.4%. The I, III & IV result were 28.6%, 22.2% and 26.1% respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.214-218
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• 1995

Cytopathologic findings of two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea are reported. The carcinomas grew as an intratracheal mass. By bronchial washing, brushing and/or post-bronchoscopic sputum cytology, large cohesive sheets, lobulated clusters, or three dimensional ball-like structures were obtained. They had numerous cyst-like spaces containing characteristic globular basophilic material. The tumor cells were uniform and had a small amount of cytoplasm. Nuclei were small and hyperchromatic, Nucleoli were occasionally observed. The cytological diagnosis was confirmed by bronchoscopic biopsies. Since the cytomorphology of adenoid cystic carcinoma is characteristic, review of these cytologic features will enhance the diagnostic accuracy in exfoliative cytology of the respiratory tract.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 1997

Transbronchial fine needle aspiration(TBNA) is one of the cytologic methods in diagnosing lung cancers. TBNA can be used in cases of hilar, mediastinal or lung masses adjacent to the bronchi. We analyzed and compaired the findings of 27 cases of TBNA and bronchial washing and brushing(BW/BB) in lung cancers confirmed by either biopsy or surgical resection between Jun, 1996 and May, 1997 in Asan Medical Center. They were 18 cases of non-small cell carcinomas(eight squamous cell carcinomas, nine adenocarcinomas, and one large cell undifferentiated carcinoma), eight cases of small cell carcinomas, and one case of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The sensitivity of TBNA was 37%(10/27) and false negative was 63%(17/27). Although the sensitivity of BW/BB w3s 56%(15/27), it was not different statistically from that of TBNA(Chi square, p=0.38). Overall sensitivity of TBNA and BW/BB in this series was 70%(19/27). Forty-seven percent of false negative TBNA(8/17) were positive in BW/BB. The findings suggest that the addition of TBNA to the standard BW/BB increases diagnostic yield in cytologic diagnosis of lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.150-158
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• 1992

Background: Although many authors have reported that the median survival time of surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was shorter in aneuploid than in diploid determined by flow cytometry, there are few reports about DNA ploidy using bronchial brushing material in all types of lung cancer. Method: The DNA ploidy test results of 109 consecutive patients with lung cancer were analyzed to find the relationship of DNA ploidy and anatomic or physiologic stage. And the differences of the response to various therapeutic modalities according to DNA ploidy were evaluated at least 8 weeks after the begining of the therapy. Results: Numbers of patients with DNA aneuploid pattern or high proliferative activity (S+G2M>22%) were not different among the various cell types of lung cancer. The relationship of DNA ploidy and anatomic or physiologic stage was not significant. However, NSCLC patients with high proliferative activity showed more advanced anatomic stage than those without that (p<0.05). The short-term response rate to therapy depended on the anatomic (p<0.005) or physiologic stages (p<0.05) in patients with NSCLC, and not on DNA ploidy or proliferative activity. Conclusion: DNA ploidy test using bronchial brushing material revealed that high proliferative activity means advanced anatomic stage, but it was not useful to predict the therapeutic response.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.547-553
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• 2006

Background: Liquid-based cytology is currently known as an effective method, and cervical cytology has been shown to be especially effective from of malignancy detection. In our study, the cytological detection rates of the Thinprep (Liquid-based cytology) and conventional cytology (bronchial washing & brushing) for endobronchial lesions were compared. Methods: Between July 2005 and September 2005, the data from 30 patients with respiration symptom, who had shown abnormal lesion on bronchoscopy, were collected. Results: The bronchoscopic biopsy group was consisted of 30 cytodiagnosis specimens, 24 of which were confirmed to be malignant. The others were tuberculosis (4), bronchiectasis and bronchopulmonary fistula (1 each). Of the 24 malignant case, cancer or atypical cells were detected in 19, 17 and 12 of the Thinprep, brushing cytology and washing cytology cases, respectively. None one of the methods detected cancer cells in the non-malignant specimens. Washing cytology has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 50, 100, 100 and 33.3% respectively. Brushing cytology has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 70.8, 100, 100 and 46.2%, respectively. Thinprep has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 79.2, 100, 100 and 54%, respectively. Conclusions: Thinprep (liquid-based cytology) showed better sensitivity and negative predictive values for the evaluation of lung cancer than conventional cytology. However a large-scale study will be needed in the future.