Lobar bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma.

Bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma has a variety of radiographic appearances. Usually it is a localized, well circumscribed nodule in the lung periphery. Nodules of various sizes that appear to coalesce in one or both lungs characterize a diffuse pattern of this disease. Occasionally, chronic lobar consolidation simulating a bacterial pneumonia may be seen. The clinical and radiographic course of eight patients whose bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma appeared initially as lobar consolidation was analyzed. Four tumors rapidly progressed to involved the opposite lung. Attempts should be made by radiographic and other means to establish inoperability, since surgery is rarely useful in this type of lung cancer.