Silicotic lymph node lesions in non-occupationally exposed lung carcinoma patients

The report deals with a series of peribronchial and mediastinal lymph node silicotic lesions, which were histologically and histochemically typical, in patients with bronchogenic cancer without any form of occupational dust exposure. The presence of a significant quantity of quartz was confirmed in the lesions by the use of backscatter electron imaging analysis, X-ray mapping and X-ray spectrometry. The lymph node lesions observed were actually silicotic in nature and had possible epidemiologic implications. There is a need for further investigations on larger series of cases to evaluate the incidence of the phenomenon and correlations between lung changes and lymph nodes lesions.