[The role of combined bronchoscopic examination in the diagnosis of central peribronchial lung cancer].

A complex bronchoscopic study was conducted in 315 cases of central (predominantly peribronchial) cancer of the lung. Bronchial stenosis was diagnosed in all patients. Basic bronchoscopic signs of cancer-involved stenosis were described and the following three patterns--typical, relatively typical and atypical--were identified. The report discusses a rational combination of broncho-bioptic methods of examination as well as the sequence of their application depending on degree of stenosis, tumor site and orientation of affected bronchial branches. The following procedures are instrumental in reliable cytomorphological confirmation of bronchial cancer: fibrobronchoscopy or combined application of rigid and elastic endoscopes in T1 tumor; combined or rigid bronchoscopy in T2 and rigid bronchoscopy only in T3 tumor.