Importance of bronchoscopy in investigating patients with chronic cough: case report.

Abstract

A 67 year old accountant with no history of smoking that presented with chronic cough of 14 months, weight loss and difficulty with breathing of three months. Features and investigations at early presentation were diagnosed initially as interstitial lung disease and later tuberculosis and was so treated in peripheral hospitals. Worsening of symptoms prompted patient to self-refer and further investigations with bronchoscopy showed he had adenocarcinoma of the lungs. There is the need to include bronchoscopy in investigating patients with chronic cough and early referrals made where not available so that early diagnosis of cancer of the lungs can be made and therefore early treatment and better prognosis.