Is Autofluorescence Bronchoscopy Needed to Diagnose Early Bronchogenic Carcinoma? Con: Autofluorescence Bronchoscopy

摘要

Lung cancer was responsible for over 1 million deaths in 2001 worldwide. There has been a clear association between smoking and lung cancer mortality, yet the former continues to increase, particularly in women. Despite advances in radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgical techniques, the overall 5-year survival of patients with lung cancer is less than 15%. The prognosis, however, of patients with early stage cancer is significantly better. The best hope for survival seems to be almost serendipitous discovery of early stage disease or never smoking. It has even been shown that simply quitting is not enough, as former smokers are now more likely to present with cancer than current smokers. High-risk groups (i.e., people with COPD, head and neck cancer, and a smoking history of more than 20 pack years) have been the focus of intense screening and case finding strategies.