The Pulmonary Pathologic Physiology of Persons Who Smoke Cigarettes

Abstract

CIGARETTE smoke has been found to be closely related to the increased incidence of pulmonary cancer.1 The epic work of Auerbach et al.2 on the effects of smoking on the tracheobronchial epithelium not only reveals carcinoma in situ and increased incidence of carcinoma but also presents clear evidence of basal-cell hyperplasia, increased stratification of the surface mucosa, squamous-cell metaplasia and other signs of chronic inflammation of varying degrees.In a study of 221 persons who were normal except for their smoking habits, Blackburn and his associates3 reported a significant decrease in the pulmonary functions in subjects who smoked more than . . .