The Risk of Lung Cancer in Males With Bullous Disease of the Lung

Evidence is presented of strong association between bullous disease of the lung and primary lung cancer. From a special survey conducted at Philadelphia’s central mass radiography unit, the prevalence rate of lung cancer in those with bullous disease of lung was 61 per 1,000 men compared to 1.9 per 1,000 men without bullous disease. The relative risk of lung cancer in those with bullous disease of lung is calculated as 32. Supportive evidence was obtained from review of all cases of primary lung cancer detected in the past 21 years at this unit. Prevalence rates of bullous disease in 790 men with lung cancer were 12.1 per 1,000 white men and 54.2 per 1,000 nonwhite men. These rates were considerably higher than those found in the special survey, two and six per 1,000, respectively.