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Out of a number of 2113 of COLD ambulatory cases followed-up over 20 years, 170 cases of death were registered. The causes were: heart in 54%, cancer in 42% among which 37% lung cancer, exceeding 8 times the mean figures on the whole country. These diseases: COLD, atherosclerosis inducing heart disease and lung cancer have common risk factors which unbalance respiratory homeostasis. By obstructing the airways they lead to cellular O2 deficit. In this way the cell is compelled to shift to anaerobic glycolysis in order to supply the bioenergy necessary for life, resulting in malignancy mutagenesis. On a control group of 166 cases of lung cancer a ventilatory impairment was noted in the history: obstructive syndrome in 63.8%, restrictive syndrome in 28.3%, which means chronic respiratory insufficiency.

In 197 cases with various bronchopulmonary affections, iron was dosed in serum, according to Weippel's method, and copper, according to Cantarov's method. Cu/Fe serous ratio was found in the normal patients between 0.7 and 1.7 higher than the control sample were reached (1.2); in OCBP the ratio was twice versus the control sample (2.62 versus 1.2). In the disease diagnosis and prognosis, the determination of the Cu/Fe serous ratio is suggested in those suspected of bronchopulmonary cancer. The increase of the ratio shows the aggravation by metastases, and the improvement after operations indicates the lack of metastases. The advantages of the test are: sensitivity, specificity, predictability, economy.

A total of 477 cases have been followed, presenting with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy, and another 151 cases with chronic bronchitis without obstructive syndrome, over a median duration of 5 years. In the first lot of patients 37 cases of bronchopulmonary cancer have been recorded over this period of time, of which 35 in 333 male patients (10.5%), and 2 in 144 women (1.4%). The annual rate of bronchopulmonary cancer was of 1.9% in males, and of 0.2% in females. In the group of patients with simple bronchitis only 3 cases of bronchopulmonary cancer have been recorded, with an annual rate of 0.4%. In male patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy the annual risk of bronchopulmonary cancer is of 1900 0/0000, 60 times greater than in the general population, where it is of 30 0/0000. A comparative analysis of the three groups: chronic simple bronchitis, chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy and chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy complicated with bronchopulmonary cancer shows that in the last group there are several outstanding features: a more advanced median age, intensive (heavy) smoking, a more advanced degree of chronic alcohol intoxication, frequent professional exposure, genetic deficiencies of I.A.T., prolonged corticoid therapy in the antecedents, and a higher proportion of associated diseases. In general this group is more exposed to risk factors, and has a higher risk of alteration of the defense mechanisms of the organism. However, a more detailed analysis is necessary for detecting the factors involved in the genesis of bronchopulmonary cancer in patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies.

Out of a total of 123 cases of centro-hilar pulmonary carcinoma and of 65 cases of carcinoma with peripheral localization changes on the previous radiophotographic images were found in 54% of the cases. The time necessary for doubling of the tumour size was of 22 months for the peripheral forms of cancer. The suspicion of pulmonary cancer was mentioned in the radiophotographic register two years before the diagnosis of the disease was made.

In the territory of 5 anti-TBC dispensaries in the area of Bucharest 2 circumscriptions have been selected at random in which radiophotographic detection was to be carried out integrally and 2 other circumscriptions were selected for the investigation of groups at high risk of developing tuberculosis. All the new cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis that have been recorded, through all the methods in these 20 circumscriptions in 1973 were analized retrospectively and the reasons appeared that had determined their existence was mentioned or was ommitted on the occasion of previous investigations. These reasons were correlated with the data concerning the method for detection that had been employed, according to the indications of the tuberculosis dispensaries. In view of the evaluation of the degree of real covering of the population in integral rf investigations, the team of the Institute of Phtysiology investigated representative lots of population from each dispensary and checked the catagraphy of the population in the field, house-by-house. It was noted that 20--21% of the subjects that had been programmed for the integral rf examination (according to catagraphic criteria) were absent when the checking in the field, that should have been programmed, were not included in the catagraphy. On the basis of this study the methodology for radiophotographic detection for groups with risk of developing tuberculosis was established.

A whole rural population of 16359 subjects was followed for a period of 24 years. This period of 24 years is well divided from the viewpoint of the succesive systematic detection three intervals being selected, as follows: a) the stage of usual anti-tuberculous assistance; b) the stage of scientific experimentation consisting in 3 radiophotographic detections repeated every two years and the annual control of groups with high risk, between 1960--1965, completed by integral biological detection in children (every year) and bacteriological controls. The population controls were followed by the diagnosis; c) the stage of discontinuing the experiment when current antituberculous assistance was resumed, between 1966 and 1974. All cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis, that have been recorded through all the methods of investigation over a period of 24 years in all these localities are correlated, on the one hand to one another, and on the other hand with objective documents obtained during the period of intensive control of the population over the 6-years interval. Thus the limits appear more correctly, within which this natural history of the disease can be detected through various types of population control, as well as some practical consequences for the improvement of the technique and of the control methodology in the future.

The incidence was studied of broncho-pulmonary carcinoma, as well as of other epidemiological indicators in the 5th district of Bucharest over a period of 14 years (1960-1973) during which a total of 525 cases have occured. The incidence in this territory tends to become real from 1967 when the curve overtook the death-rate in the country. Following a continuous increase the number of cases reached 29 0/0000 in 1973 and it is presumed that it will attain 40 0/0000 in 1980. The increase in the morbidity is due to a higher number of cases noted in the extreme age groups (the increase was 2,5-fold in those under 40 years of age); the age group which was the most seriously involved was that between 60 and 69 years, in which the morbidity was of 111 0/0000. The proportion of women has also increased, from 1/6-th to 1/5-th of the total number of cases. In women the frequency of adenocarcinoma and of non-differentiated neoplasies is somewhat higher than in men. The proportion of histopathological confirmation of the disease diminished in the last years probably due to the higher number of aged subjects that cannot be correctly investigated or surgically treated.