Comparison between young and old patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to explore the clinicopathological profile of bronchogenic carcinoma in young patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 799 consecutive histopathologically proven cases of bronchogenic carcinoma that were referred from different parts of Uttar Pradesh. RESULTS: Out of 799 patients, 73 patients (9.1%; 59 males and 14 females) were < or = 40 years of age and were classified as 'young' patients. The mean ages of the subjects in the younger and older patient groups were 36 and 58 years, respectively. Among the older patients, 590 (81.3%) were smokers, and there were 53 (72.6%) smokers among the younger patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the commonest histological subtype in both the groups, but squamous cell carcinoma was more frequently diagnosed in older patients than in younger patients. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that, regardless of age or sex, lung cancer must be ruled out in all patients who have persistent signs of pulmonary disease and a history of heavy smoking.