1993 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 115-120
Three resected cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung in chromate workers are reported. Case 1 was a 48-year-old male, and his chief complaints were cough and bloody sputum. This case was diagnosed by sputum cytology and bronchoscopy, and left lower lobectomy was performed. Case 2 was a 52-year-old male, whose complaints were continual cough and perforation of his nasal septum. In this case, lung carcinoma was detected in the left lower lobe bronchus and left pneumonectomy was performed. Case 3 was a 65-year-old male, whose only complaint was cough. This case was diagnosed based on evidence from sputum cytology and bronchoscopic biopsy, and right lowe lobectomy was performed. All three cases had histories of chromate exposure for periods of from 24 to 35 years. All cases were heavy smokers and their Brinkmann index ranged from 720 to 1380. At periodic routine examinations in their company, there were neither specific chest symptoms of lung cancer nor abnormal findings on plain roentgenograms. However, all three cases were diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy. In this occupational cancer, the problem of treatment was very difficult because of the possibility of synchronous and metachronous multiple recurrence. It was considered that periodic examinations including sputum cytology and bronchoscopy were very important for early detection of this occupational lung cancer in workers engaged in chromate manufacture.
