ABSTRACT

Introduction: bronchoscopy is an invaluable technique for visualizing the upper and lower airways, used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It helps diagnose inflammatory, infectious, tumoral, and hemorrhagic processes. Endobronchial lesions, especially neoplastic ones, are significant findings detected during bronchoscopy, often requiring histopathological evaluation for definitive diagnosis. Objectives: the main objective of this study was to characterize suspicious endobronchial lesions for malignancy and correlate them with histopathological findings. Material and methods: a retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with suspected lung metastasis or lung cancer undergoing bronchoscopy at the General Hospital of Mexico from 2018 to 2023. Demographic data, bronchoscopic images, and pathology results were reviewed. Results: a total of 122 patients were included (52 women, 70 men; mean age 62 years). Radiographic findings indicated parenchymal opacities, hilar enlargement, atelectasis, and pleural effusion. Bronchoscopy revealed endobronchial tumors, mucosal infiltration, extrinsic compression, and normal mucosa. Histopathological analysis confirmed various neoplasms, with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma being the most common. Conclusions: endobronchial lesions, including tumors and mucosal infiltration, are often diagnosed late, highlighting the importance of bronchoscopy in early detection and histopathological confirmation. Adenocarcinoma predominates among identified neoplasms, underscoring the role of bronchoscopy in providing accurate diagnoses without the need for invasive surgical procedures, thus improving patient management and quality of life.

KEYWORDS

bronchoscopy, squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, lung adenocarcinoma, endobronchial tumor, bronchoscopic findings.

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