Histopathological spectrum of pulmonary and pleural specimens obtained during thoracic surgical procedures: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study.

Kontham Praveen; Jones Mikkili; Rani Narsipuram

doi:10.51168/meymjb77

Autori

Kontham Praveen Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India
Jones Mikkili Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India
Rani Narsipuram Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/meymjb77

Cuvinte cheie:

Histopathology, lung neoplasms, pleural diseases, thoracic surgery, tuberculosis, immunohistochemistry

Rezumat

Background:

Pulmonary and pleural lesions encompass infectious, inflammatory, fibrotic, benign neoplastic, and malignant disorders. Clinical and radiological findings frequently overlap, making histopathological examination essential for definitive diagnosis and therapeutic planning.

Objectives:

To describe the histopathological spectrum of pulmonary and pleural specimens obtained during thoracic surgical procedures and to examine factors associated with malignant pathology.

Methods:

This hospital-based cross-sectional observational study with prospective enrolment included 80 patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures at Government Medical College and its associated teaching hospital, Jagtial, Telangana, India, from May 2025 to April 2026. Pulmonary and pleural specimens were processed by routine histopathology. Special stains and immunohistochemistry were applied when indicated. Demographic, clinical, procedural, radiological, and pathological data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

The mean age was 52.6 ± 15.4 years, and 54 patients (67.5%) were male. Pulmonary specimens comprised 56 cases (70.0%), while 24 (30.0%) were pleural. Malignant lesions were identified in 40 patients (50.0%). Malignancy occurred in 31 pulmonary specimens (55.4%) and nine pleural specimens (37.5%). Pulmonary adenocarcinoma was the most frequent malignant diagnosis, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. Chronic non-specific pleuritis and tuberculous pleuritis predominated among non-malignant pleural lesions. Malignancy was significantly associated with age of at least 50 years and current or previous smoking. Preoperative and histopathological diagnoses agreed in 68 patients (85.0%); histopathology produced a clinically relevant diagnostic revision in 12 cases.

Conclusion:

Thoracic surgical specimens demonstrated a balanced distribution of malignant and non-malignant disease. Histopathological assessment remained decisive for tumour classification and for differentiating malignancy from tuberculosis and other inflammatory lesions.

Recommendations:

Standardised specimen handling, targeted immunohistochemistry, and multidisciplinary clinicoradiological correlation should be incorporated into routine thoracic diagnostic practice.

Biografii autori

Kontham Praveen, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India. His academic interests include histopathology, cytopathology, clinicopathological correlation, medical education, and research in diagnostic pathology. He is the corresponding author of the present manuscript.
Jones Mikkili, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India. Her professional interests include surgical pathology, cytology, laboratory diagnostics, undergraduate medical education, and clinicopathological research.
Rani Narsipuram, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at Government Medical College, Jagtial, Telangana, India. Her areas of academic interest include histopathological diagnosis, cytopathology, laboratory medicine, medical teaching, and research related to disease morphology and diagnostic pathology.

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