Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
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Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was carried out in 15 patients of lung cancer and 10 nonmalignant lung diseases which included patients of sarcoidosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and haemoptysis. In lung cancer patients BAL was carried out on the diseased lung and from the opposite normal lung. The total cell count in the malignant lobe of lung cancer patients was significantly greater as compared to that of disease free lobe and non-malignant lung diseases. The predominant cell was the macrophages constituting greater than 92% in all the three groups followed by lymphocytes (4-5%) and then the polymorphs (1-2%). Since alveolar macrophages are the main cellular components of the defense system in the lungs and they are known to produce numerous secretory products including reactive oxygen metabolites it needs further study whether an increase in these cells could be contributory for the development of lung cancer or they help the enhancement of already existing pathogenesis.
