Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Because the locations of peripheral lung cancer are special, diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer is difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic value of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) in peripheral lung cancer.
Methods: Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) were performed in 78 cases of peripheral lung cancer which could not be observed by bronchoscope, 42 cases among whom were diagnosed by pathology and cytologic examination. Thirty-six cases of peripheral lung cancer were not able to be diagnosed by TBLB, 22 cases among them were diagnosed by percutaneous lung biopsy (PNLB), and 14 cases being left were diagnosed by surgical operation, lymphadenopathy biopsy, pleura biopsy and sputum cytologic examination successively.
Results: The positive rate produced by transbronchial lung biopsy, brush biopsy were 53.8% and 8.9% respectively. The total positive rate was 57.7%. The positive rate produced by TBLB was higher than that of brush biopsy (P <0.01). Along with tumor's diameter enlarge, the positive rate of diagnosis was higher. The positive rate of right lung was higher than that of left lung. The positive rate of inferior lung was higher than that of upper lung. The lesions near the inner belt and hilus pulmonis, had the higher positive rate. Complicatin frequency in PNLB was much higher than that in TBLB.
Conclusions: Transbronchial lung biopsy is an important method in diagnosing of peripheral lung cancer. Combination of TBLB can increase the diagnostic positive rate of peripheral lung cancer.