Bronchoalveolar carcinoma is a rare type of lung cancer that grows in the alveolar sac walls of the lungs and is often fatal. Exposure to harmful substances and infection with viruses and bacteria may contribute to its development. Symptoms include cough, chest pain, weight loss, and shortness of breath. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and lung transplant, but the survival rate is usually low.
Bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC), also known as bronchioalveolar carcinoma, is a rare type of lung cancer. It grows and spreads mainly in the alveolar sac walls of the lungs, with no tendency to metastasize to other parts of the body. The alveoli are tiny sacs found at the end of the lungs where oxygen exchange usually takes place. This type of cancer is usually fatal and mortality is often high. The incidence of bronchoalveolar carcinoma is frequent in nonsmokers and middle-aged women, particularly of Asian descent.
The precise cause of bronchoalveolar carcinoma remains unknown, but studies suggest that exposure to harmful substances may contribute to its development. Examples of these substances are radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, and asbestos, a mineral containing fibers that can penetrate deep into the lungs when inhaled. Asbestos has also been implicated in many cases of mesothelioma, a cancer that grows on the lining of the lungs and other organs as a result of asbestos exposure. Infection with some viruses and bacteria can also lead to bronchoalveolar carcinoma.
Cough is the best-known symptom of bronchoalveolar carcinoma. As the cancer progresses, the cough can range from mild to severe to intensely violent, which may be accompanied by blood in the sputum. Weakness, anemia, convulsions and changes in vision may also be observed in some patients. Other common manifestations of the disease include persistent chest pain, weight loss, shortness of breath, and repeated lung infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Bronchitis is inflammation of the mucous membranes of the airways and pneumonia is inflammation of the lung tissue.
During the early stage of the cancer, patients may have no obvious symptoms. This is why most of them are diagnosed in the later stage of the disease, resulting in delayed medical intervention. The diagnosis of bronchoalveolar carcinoma can be made through the use of various diagnostic imaging tools. These include a chest X-ray and a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest.
Possible treatment alternatives for bronchoalveolar carcinoma are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Surgery is often an option to remove affected regions of the lungs. However, due to the aggressiveness of this type of cancer, the formation of new growths is often difficult to prevent. A lung transplant may also be considered to extend life. Compared to other types of lung cancer, the survival rate of most patients with advanced-stage bronchoalveolar carcinoma is usually low.
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