ABSTRACT
Broncho alveolar lavage is a method of investigation and diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer. This study conducted on 20 patients with peripheral lung lesions, all cases had peripheral shadows in x-ray films, cases were selected from patients referred to the chest and cardio thoracic unit in El Zahra University hospital and Abbassia chest hospital. From September 2001 to March 2002. The twenty patients in this study were 15 male and 5 females between 40-65 years suffering from cough [80%], dyspnea [25%], haemoptesis [50%], chest pain [55%] and expectoration [45%]. The radiological presentation were opacity on right side in [10] cases and opacity in left side in other [10] cases. With diameter range from 3 cm to 12 cm and mean is 6.4 cm. With fibrooptic bronchoscopy there were no tumour, ulcer or suspected area of malignancy in bronchoscopic field.Cytological examination of [BAL] in.the present study shows no malignant cells in 7 cases [35%] and there were malignant cells in 13 cases [65%] diagnosed as:* Adenocarcinoma 6 cases [30%].* Large cell carcinoma in 3 cases [15%]:* Small cell carcinoma in one case [5%].* Undifferantiated carcinoma in one case[5%].* Bronchioalveolar carcinoma in one case* Squamous cell carcinoma in one case[5%].Tissue diagnosis coinsides with that of the bronchoalveolar lavage in 13 cases, whose tissue specimens were obtained by surgical operation in 9 cases [45%] and needle biopsy give result in 8 cases