Comparative analysis of morphological changes in the mucosa of the small and large bronchi in non-small cell lung cancer

Background. Despite advances in surgical and therapy techniques, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related death. Therefore, it is increasingly important to search for markers that predict the risk of tumor progression. The study of the morphology of the epithelium of the bronchi of different calibers has great potential for solving this problem. The aim of the study was to comparatively evaluate the characteristics and frequency of occurrence of various combinations of morphological changes in the epithelium of the bronchi of large and small calibers in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. Material and Methods. Lung samples were collected from 151 NSCLC patients (stage T1-4N0-3M0), who underwent surgery at the Cancer Research Institute, TNRMC. Various morphological changes in the bronchial epithelium were analyzed.