1976 Volume 16 Issue 3 Pages 173-184
As a result of bacteriological and immunological studies on the respiratory infections in 121 cases of patients with lung cancer, the following results were obtained
The rate of respiratory infections in lung cancer was 38.0 percents; 33.9% in primary lung cancer and 4.1% in metastatic lung cancer. In epidermoid carcinoma, pulmonary infections were observed in 23 (54.8%) of 42 cases. Pathogens were mainly gram-negative microorganisms (76.6%), especially Klebsiella and Pseudomonas.
The number of white blood cells, T and B lymphocytes, monocytes and the enzyme activity of monocytes and leukocytes were decreased with comparison tohealthy control. Further more, no difference in number of these cells between infection-group and non-infection-group was observed.
It seems likely from these data that even patients with lung cancer without respiratory infection have generally a tendency to be complicated by respiratory infection.
