In this prospective study, we investigated the value of bronchoscopic biopsy and bronchial brushing in the diagnosis of central and peripheral bronchogenic carcinoma. A total of 88 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and 55 patients who were undergone bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of other diseases apart from malignancy, included in the study. Malignancy patients were divided into two groups as central and peripheric according to the radiologic findings of x- chest ray and computed tomography. Than, bronchial brushing and forceps biopsy were performed through a fibreoptic bronchoscope. Patients who were not diagnosed with bronchoscopic procedures were performed transthoracic fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The mean age of patients was 59.3±9.2. 56 (63.6%) patients had a central lesion and 32 (36.4%) had a peripheral lesion. Pathologic examination showed 39 epidermoid cancer, 15 adenocancer, 16 small cell, 2 large cell and 16 nonsmall cell carcinoma. 57 (64.8%) patients showed positive results on forceps biopsy and 59 (67%) on brushing. A combination of the two techniques gives a positive result of 89.7%. Bronchial brushing yielded positive results in 67.8% of central tumours and in 65.6 % peripheral tumours. Yield of forceps biopsy was 78.5% in central tumours and 40 % in peripheral tumours. We didn’t find any statistical difference between the forceps biopsy and brushing in the diagnosis of central and peripheral tumours. Bronchial brushing showed a sensitivity of 68 % in central tumours and of 65 % in peripheral tumours. Forceps biopsy showed a sensitivity of 78% in central tumours and of 41 % in peripheral tumours. As a result we thought that bronchial brushing and forceps biopsy should be done together with routine bronchoscopy to obtain higher diagnostic yield in central and peripheral bronchogenic carcinoma.

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