Hypoxie ist eine unbestrittene Ursache für krankhafte Gewebsveränderungen. Sie beeinflusst die oxidative Energieproduktion in Zellen und ist sowohl für Operateure als auch für Allgemeinmediziner von Bedeutung. Franz Büchner hat die Bedeutung der Hypoxie in der Pathologie hervorgehoben und eine umfassende pathophysiologische Morphologie der Hypoxie entwickelt.
Bronchogenic carcinoma develops from chronic exposure to carcinogenic inhalants, notably in cigarette smokers and uranium miners, where morphological abnormalities in the bronchial mucosa can be detected before the onset of neoplasia. Similar lesions have been induced in dogs exposed to tobacco smoke, indicating a sequence of histological and cytological changes that progress to invasive carcinoma with continued exposure. Interestingly, some early epithelial lesions may stabilize or even regress if carcinogen exposure ceases, as evidenced by the declining lung cancer risk in ex-smokers. This suggests the potential value of morphogenetic studies on experimentally induced respiratory tract neoplasms, particularly if an appropriate model closely mimicking human bronchogenic carcinoma is utilized. Such studies could facilitate the reconstruction of sequential changes leading to invasive carcinoma more effectively than human material. Additionally, it may be possible to differentiate between reversible and irreversible lesions, as well as toxic versus carcinogenic changes. Insights gained could enhance the diagnosis of precancerous lesions and preinvasive carcinoma. Ultimately, early diagnosis and effective therapy are critical in lung cancer treatment, highlighting the interconnectedness of these challenges in disease control.