Surveillance for the detection of early lung cancer in patients with bronchial dysplasia.

Background: The natural history of bronchial preinvasive lesions and the risk of developing lung cancer in patients with these lesions are not clear. Previous studies have treated severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ (CIS) on the assumption that most will progress to invasive carcinoma.

Aims: To define the natural history of preinvasive lesions and assess lung cancer risk in patients with these lesions.