[Results of non-specific iliac crest biopsy in patients with bronchial carcinoma (author's transl)]

Systematic bone marrow examinations in patients with bronchial carcinoma (n equals 75) gave positive findings (identification of tumor cells) in 12% related to all types of tumors and in 32% of microcellular carcinoma. The information value of this method is relatively small with regard to the assessment of operability, because positive findings in stages I and II are extremely rare. Non-specific iliac crest biopsy provides therapeutically and prognostically important pointers in patients who are to be irradiated (tumor stage III and all microcellular tumors of stages I-III), because a positive bone marrow finding must be valued as stage IV.