What is bronchioloalveolar carcinoma?
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a type of cancer that comes from the lungs. Specifically, it arises from alveoli, which are small tissue bags present in the lungs, where gas is replaced between blood and inhalation air. Compared to other lung cancer, it is less associated with smoking and is less likely to spread to other parts of the lungs. Symptoms may include cough, weight loss and shortness of breath. Treatment focuses on the removal of cancer.
There are many types of lung cancer and are usually differentiated on the basis of the types of pulmonary cells from which they are based. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is an unregulated and abnormal growth of alveoli cells. Some experts consider cancer to be subtype of lung adenocarcinoma, which are cancer based on lung gland tissue.
Risk factors for the development of bronchioloalveolar cancer include age, be male and certain types of chronic lung disease. Smoking also increases the risk of developing this type of cancer. However, this type of cancer is myThey are strongly associated with smoking than other types of lung cancer. Some patients may be asymptomatic. Others can complain about cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, pain during inhalation and coughing of blood. Systemic symptoms may include weight loss, reduced appetite and night sweating.
diagnostics of bronchioalveolar cancer may be complicated because its presentation on imaging studies can imitate other pathological conditions. On the chest X -ray, this could be confused with illnesses such as pneumonia or pulmonary edema. If abnormality is reported on the chest X -ray and time, bronchioalveolar carcinoma may be suspected. Other imaging studies such as chest -calculated (CT) can further characterize the lesion. For definitive diagnosis of the condition, biopsy of abnormal tissue and tissue obtained from biopsy should be examined by a trained pathologist.
The basis of the treatment of bronchioalveolar carcinoma is surgery. Cancer often grows only in a certain area of the lungs and can be surgically removed before it has a chance to spread to other areas of lungs or other parts of the body. Both the lung tumor and the lymph nodes on the affected side of the lungs are often removed during surgery. Some patients with a certain cancer subtype can respond well to chemotherapy regimes that include Gefinitib and Erlotinib agents.