Abstract
From May 1979 to November 1995 we treated 26 lung cancer lesions in 17 chromate workers. All 17 patients were men aged 44 to 76 and the period of exposure to chromium was more than 10 years (from 12 to 32 years, median : 22.9) except one case. Fourteen of 17 patients were heavy smokers (B.I.>400), and in 11 of 13 patients, detection was made by mass surverys (sputum cytology). The fiberoptic bronchoscopic appearance was superficial infiltrating type in 13 of 26 lesions, polypoid type in 4 lesions, and nodular protuberant type in 3 lesions. The other 6 lesions could be detected endoscopically. All except one small cell carcinoma, were squamous cell carcinoma. Twenty-four lesions were early stage carcinoma, that did not invade beyond the bronchial wall. All the lesions in the 5 patients with multiple lung cancer were squamous cell carcinoma. Overall 5-year survival was 88.2% and that of early stage was 100%.
