Cancer and Clinically Undiagnosable Pulmonary Nodules

Abstract

Thoracotomy is advocated as a safe procedure for diagnosing and treating clinically undiagnosed pulmonary lesions. With this procedure, the author has achieved gratifying results, with low operative mortality, in a series of 78 such cases. Over 50 per cent of the lesions proved to be cancer.

Many nonmalignant lesions should be removed as a prophylactic measure.

Cure rates for pulmonary cancer could be improved with annual chest x-rays of all adults and by employing thoracotomy if cancer is not ruled out by the end of the sixth or eighth week after a pulmonary nodule has been detected.