Abstract
Objective: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) develops along intact alveolar walls characterized by overgrowth of bronchiolar-type epithelium. Few studies have related the prognosis for BAC to their macroscopic characteristics and outcome after surgical treatment.
Methods: Sixteen resected BAC with aerogenous dissemination was studied with special reference to the relationship between cell type, growth patten and surgical outcome.
Reseuts: BAC has the following three subtypes. Goblet cell type, Clara cell type and type II alveolar epithelial cell type. Ten cases were calssified as goblet cell type, 3 as Clara cell type, and 3 as type II alveolar epithelial cell type. All type I BAC cases, whose tumors were localized within one segment, were alive, one type II BAC case, whose tumor's extent was limited to one lobe, was dead with intrapulmonary tumor recurrence for 67 months after operation, and another case was alive with intrapulmonary tumor recurrence 23 months after operation.
Conclusion: The prognosis of BAC was determined by intrapulmonary tumor extent. Goblet cell type of type II showed poorer prognosis than that of the remaining two subtypes. BAC limited to one lobe should be surgically resected, and therapy for intrapulmonary metastasis after operation is important in order to prolong the survival period.
