[Pleural exudates in patients with lung cancer. Comparative study].

A group of 228 patients with cancer of the lungs admitted in the course of 15 months to the Second Clinic for TB and Respiratory Diseases was classified according to the complicating pleural exudate. At the onset or in the course of the disease the exudate developed in 24 patients (11%)--group A, in the remaining 204--group B--there is no information on an exudate. The mean age of the two groups did not differ, smoking habits were similar. Significant differences were recorded as regards the incidence of subjective complaints, in group A the patients complained significantly more frequently of dyspnoea grade III to IV, chest pain, loss of weight and oedema of the neck. As to the number with haemoptysis and exposure to cancerogens the two groups did not differ. As to subsidiary diseases, only CHOPN was more frequent in group B. Differences were recorded also in the ratio of morphological types, in group A the small-cell type was most frequent, in group B the spinocellular type. The two groups differed also as to the incidence of peripheral and central forms, which were significantly more frequent in group A. The TNM stages differed: in group A stage IV predominated, in group B there were 40% of the patients in stage I and II. Significant differences between the groups were found also as to treatment: 17.6% in group B were operated and none in group A. In group A all patients died, in group B to the day of evaluation 25 subjects survive, this difference, is, however, not significant.