Relationship between pulmonary function tests and morphologic changes in the lung in bleomycin-treated patients.

ABSTRACT

The transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLCO) and the respiratory response to moderate exercise were determined in 16 patients with pulmonary metastasis pretreated with bleomycin who underwent pulmonary partial resection. The results of pulmonary function tests were related to histologic findings. No significant correlation was found between pulmonary morphologic changes and the TLCO this questions the usefulness of TLCO as a predictive method for detecting subclinical bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. No significant correlation was found between morphologic findings and cumulative dose of bleomycin this confirms the limit of a dose limitation strategy. In contrast, evaluation of pulmonary response to exercise seemed to improve the sensitivity of monitoring such patients for clinical evidence of latent pulmonary toxicity; however, it seems that critical morphologic changes must occur before pulmonary performance begins to deteriorate.