Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a type of lung cancer that originates from the alveoli and is less associated with smoking. Symptoms include cough, weight loss, and shortness of breath. Diagnosis can be challenging, and treatment focuses on surgery and chemotherapy.
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a type of cancer that originates in the lung. Specifically, it arises from the alveoli, which are the small sacs of tissue present in the lung where the exchange of gases between blood and inhaled air takes place. Compared to other lung cancers, it is less strongly associated with smoking and is less likely to spread to other parts of the lung. Symptoms can include cough, weight loss and shortness of breath. Treatment focuses on removing the cancer.
There are many types of lung cancers and they are usually differentiated by the types of lung cells from which they arise. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma represents a disordered and abnormal growth of cells in the alveoli. Some experts consider cancer a subtype of lung adenocarcinomas, which are tumors that arise from the glandular tissue of the lung.
Risk factors for developing bronchioloalveolar carcinoma include old age, being male, and some types of chronic lung disease. Smoking also increases the risk of developing this type of cancer. This type of cancer, however, is less strongly associated with smoking than other types of lung cancer.
The symptoms of having bronchioloalveolar cancer can vary. Some patients may be asymptomatic. Others may complain of coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, pain when inhaling, and coughing up blood. Systemic symptoms might include weight loss, decreased appetite, and night sweats.
Diagnosing bronchioloalveolar carcinoma can be challenging because its presentation on imaging studies can mimic other pathological conditions. On a chest X-ray, it could be mistaken for illnesses such as pneumonia or pulmonary edema. If you see an abnormality on a chest X-ray and it doesn’t go away with time, you might suspect bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Other imaging studies, such as a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest can further characterize the lesion. To definitively diagnose the condition, a biopsy of the abnormal tissue should be taken, and the tissue obtained from the biopsy should be examined by an experienced pathologist.
The mainstay of treatment for bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is surgery. Often, cancer only grows in a certain area of the lung and can be surgically removed before it has a chance to spread to other areas of the lung or other parts of the body. During surgery, both the lung tumor and lymph nodes on the affected side of the lung are often removed. Some patients who have a certain subtype of cancer may respond well to chemotherapy regimens that include the agents gefinitib and erlotinib.
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