Tissue diagnosis

Tissue diagnosis of suspected lung cancer is indicated to:

• resolve diagnostic uncertainty
• help plan appropriate therapy

Options include:

• flexible fibre-optic bronchoscopy - but specimens may be small and are easily crushed
• cytology of sputum, pleural fluid, bronchial brushings, washings obtained at bronchoscopy
• percutaneous needle aspirate or biopsy
• thoracotomy

However, specimens may be subject to a high degree of sampling error and be unrepresentative of the entire tumour as such lesions are often highly heterogenous.