Objectives: To evaluate the benefit of using autofluorescence bronchoscopy (AFB) for the detection and localization of early invasive lung cancer.
Methods: AFB and white light bronchoscopy (WLB) were performed on 198 cases of suspected lung cancer, and the relative sensitivity of WLB plus AFB compared with WLB alone.
Results: Included 198 biopsy specimens, and 160 were classified as positive by pathology, including 156 invasive cancer and 4 severe dysplasia. The relative sensitivity to detect intraepithelial neoplasia of WLB + FLB versus WLB was 97.5% and 80.0% respectively, significantly (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: AFB was more sensitive than WLB in detecting preneoplastic bronchial changes and early lung cancer in high-risk subjects.