RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To review diagnostic procedures, therapeutic modalities, and follow-up methods in patients with suspected lung tumors. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 70 patients who underwent a complete medical checkup because they had been positive for sputum cytology and had presented no chest X-ray findings for the 10-year period between 1994 and 2004. To make a diagnosis, we conducted the first complete medical checkup that included chest X-ray, sputum cytology, chest computed tomography (CT), and bronchoscopy. In the case that no diagnosis could be made, we repeated the chest X-ray and sputum cytology every 3 to 6 months and additionally conducted chest CT and bronchoscopy according to abnormal findings. RESULTS: Among 70 patients, there were 36 and 13 who were diagnosed during the first complete medical checkup and follow-up, respectively, 13 who remained undiagnosed, and eight for whom follow-up was discontinued. Among the 49 diagnosed patients, 40, 8, and 1 patient had lung cancer, upper respiratory tract carcinoma (URTC), and esophageal carcinoma (EC), respectively. Among the 40 patients with lung cancer, 34 had a stage 0 or I tumor and 15 were radically treatable by photodynamic therapy and endobronchial irradiation. Nine among 11 patients whose lung cancer was detected during follow-up had a stage 0 or IA tumor. CONCLUSION: Not only lung cancer but also URTC and EC were successfully detected in patients who were positive for sputum cytology and presented negative chest X-ray. Radical treatment was possible in 38 (76%) of 50 diagnosed patients, thus indicating the importance of follow-up through these procedures.