Title: Bronchiolar Carcinoma (Alveolar Cell), Another Great Imitator; A Review of 41 Cases
Abstract: Forty-one cases of bronchiolar carcinoma in 15 years were studied for incidence, symptomatology, methods for diagnosis, treatment, and survival. This disease, once considered rare and incurable, now appears to have clear-cut characteristics and a hopeful outcome. It is unicentric in origin, slow growing, but can spread early by air embolization, lymphatics or blood stream, and can mimic any acute or chronic pulmonary disease. As early surgery offers the only cure, aggressive diagnostic work-up for suspicious pulmonary infiltrate is imperative. Half of our cases were considered inoperable at the time of admission; these have all died. Ten showed diffuse but operable lesions and palliative resections were performed; two are living, one over four years, and a third survived two years before succumbing. Ten cases had localized disease and curative resections were attempted; seven are still living and six have reached the two-year survival mark. Forty-one cases of bronchiolar carcinoma in 15 years were studied for incidence, symptomatology, methods for diagnosis, treatment, and survival. This disease, once considered rare and incurable, now appears to have clear-cut characteristics and a hopeful outcome. It is unicentric in origin, slow growing, but can spread early by air embolization, lymphatics or blood stream, and can mimic any acute or chronic pulmonary disease. As early surgery offers the only cure, aggressive diagnostic work-up for suspicious pulmonary infiltrate is imperative. Half of our cases were considered inoperable at the time of admission; these have all died. Ten showed diffuse but operable lesions and palliative resections were performed; two are living, one over four years, and a third survived two years before succumbing. Ten cases had localized disease and curative resections were attempted; seven are still living and six have reached the two-year survival mark.
Publication Year: 1972
Publication Date: 1972-06-01
Language: en
Type: review
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 60
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