Introduction: The aim of the present study is to show the role of autofluorescence bronchoscopy (AFB) compare with white light bronchoscopy (WLB) in detecting synchronous cancer and precancerous lesions in cases with operable primary lung cancer.
Materials and methods: Fourty-nine patients were included in the study. WLB findings were grouped as group 1 normal, group 2 erithema or edema, group 3 nodular lesions or mucosal abnormality. AFB findings were grouped as group 1 normal, group 2 light brownish abnormal areas, group 3 brownish abnormal areas. Biopsies were obtained from group 2 and 3 patients. In 12 (24.5%) of the patients no areas were suspected and no biopsies were taken.
Results: Twenty-six (53%) of 49 patients did not show abnormal biopsy results in any of the specimens. One (2%) patient had metaplasia, 1 (2%) patient had dysplasia, 1 (2%) patient had in situ carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy rates for the detection of synchronous cancer and precancerous lesions using WLB and AFB were as follows respectively: sensitivity 77.8% vs. 100%; specificity 37.5% vs. 3%; positive predictive value 21.9% vs. 24.3%; negative predictive value 88.2% vs. 100%. The relative sensitivity of AFB to WLB is 1.28.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that, AFB is an effective method in detecting synchronous cancer and precancerous lesions because of its low specificity it is more likely to be complementary to WLB.