Bronchogenic carcinoma is the most common type of tumor causing death in both men and women.
The etiologic factors include smoking, exposure to radiation, asbestos, radon exposure, exposure to the occupational inhaled substances such as nickel, chromates, arsenic, and genetic factors. The incidence of the bronchogenic carcinoma is clearly higher in smokers and is related to the pack-year smoking. Bronchogenic carcinoma may present with cough, weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain which may be caused by the destruction of the rib, lipid penumonia, pneumonia or abscess due to the obstruction of airways, dysphagia due to invasion of the esophagus, hoarsness due to the involvement of the laryngeal nerve, paralysis of the diaphragm due to the invasion of the phrenic nerve, Horner's syndrome due to the invasion of the sympathetic ganglia, superior vena cava syndrome due to the obstruction of the superior vena cava, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion and release of hormones. This tumor usually arises from the bronchus near the hilus. Is more common in males and shows squamous differentiation of various degress.