Association of lung carcinoma and tuberculosis.

Two hundred and twenty one consecutive cases of bronchogenic carcinomas were studied histologically for evidence of associated lesions. Seventy eight lesions were seen in 55 patients (24.8%). The most frequent was tuberculosis, seen in 29 patients. The next in frequency were scars, in 22, emphysema in 12 and thickened pleura in 7. Interstitial fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, lobar pneumonia and bronchiectasis, were other lesions, seen in very few cases. The types of carcinoma, in which associated lesions seen were, undifferentiated carcinoma (76%), adeno-carcinoma (56%), mixed tumor (37%), large cell anaplastic (25%), small cell anaplastic (23.7%) and epidermoid carcinoma in (5.44%). The incidence of tuberculous lesions in autopsies unassociated with tumor is 7%, as compared to 24.8% incidence of association with carcinoma; which is significant. There were seven scar cancers; with origin in tuberculous scars in two. The study indicates necessity of prospective study in this field.