[Effectiveness of transthoracic puncture in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer]

The complex examination of 1400 patients with pathologic masses of the lungs and mediastinal organs with the use of roentgenologic, endoscopic, puncture bioptic and cytologic methods was carried out. Morphologic verification of diagnosis was performed in 93.7% of the patients. In express cytologic study, histogenesis of neoplasms of the thoracic cavity organs was specified in 97.9% of cases of a malignant tumour, and in 64.4% of those of a benign one.