STUDY ON RESECTED CASES OF LUNG TUMOR SHOWING POSITIVE RESPONSE TO SMEA TEST OF ACID-FAST BACILLUS ON BRONCHOSCOPY

Abstract

Eleven resected cases of lung tumor which showed positive response to smea test of acid-fast bacillus on preoperative bronchoscopy were studied. The cultivation was negative in all cases and any isolates could not be determined. The definite diagnosis of cancer was made by sponge biopsy in six cases, in which the lesions were resected 19.0±4.8 days after the examination. The lesions in the remaining five cases were suspected of cancer and the resections were significantly delayed, 57.6±34.2 days after the examination. There were two cases of cancer, one case of tuberculoma, and two cases of others. Except for the one case of tuberculoma, no histologic tuberculous lesion was found in all cases. Abluent disinfection of the bronchoscopy was done with 3.5% glutal aldehyde, and EOG sterilization was added when acid-fast bacillus smea test turned out positive. We had only one experience that bronchoscopy examination continuously gave the positive result in the same period. It is thought that infection via the bronchoscopy may hardly occur. These findings indicate that, in cultivation-negative and smea testpositive cases, contamination with atypical acid-fast bacillus might occur. In such a case caution should be employed not to follow the patient aimlessly with some tuberculostatic remedies, whose definite diagnosis of cancer is not yet established.