Fine needle biopsy of tuberculosis coexistent with carcinoma of the lung.

In 62 cases (out of 2726 cases with 613 inflammatory lesions of which 303 showed evidence for specific infection) pulmonary tuberculosis coexistent with lung cancer has been diagnosed by radiography and fine needle biopsy. There was a considerable sex predominance of elderly men. In cases with lung cancer superimposed on pulmonary tuberculosis, there is frequently a delay in the diagnosis of the carcinoma, especially with active tuberculosis. A known diagnosis of tuberculosis dominates the clinical findings to such a degree, that signs of a coexisting carcinoma are overlooked, since all symptoms may be explained by the inflammatory process alone. When the diagnosis is finally made it is too late for a curative therapy. Fine needle biopsy may be helpful in clarifying the dual nature of this process earlier, such making higher prospects for curative treatment possible.