Changes in the Bronchial Epithelium in Relation to Smoking and Cancer of the Lung

Abstract

MANY investigators have reported an association between the occurrence of lung cancer and exposure to certain dusts and vapors such as uranium and chromate dusts, general air pollution and cigarette smoke.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 When inhaled, presumably, these substances are widely distributed over the inner surface of the tracheobronchial tree.When a carcinogenic agent is applied to the tissue, a number of changes such as hyperplasia and metaplasia usually precede the appearance of cancer, and neoplastic changes are apt to occur at several different points. Therefore, if inhalants of one sort or another are a major factor in the causation of lung cancer, . . .