Implications of histologically reported residual tumour on the bronchial margin after resection for bronchial carcinoma.

A group of 64 cases with histologically reported residual tumour on the bronchial margin after resection for bronchial carcinoma has been examined. Carcinoma in situ of the bronchial mucosa was described in nine cases, invasive carcinoma of the bronchial mucosa in 29, peribronchial malignancy in 18, and lymphatic permeation in eight. Survival with peribronchial malignancy and lymphatic permeation was poor. Nevertheless, the finding of earlier workers that residual mucosal tumour at the margin of the resected bronchus may not adversely affect survival has been confirmed. The reason for the prolonged survival of some patients despite reported tumours of the bronchial stump mucosa may be that such reports are sometimes artefactual, and two possible mechanisms for this are discussed.