obsolete mucinous bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma

Mucinous Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma: An Obsolete Term

Mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is an outdated term that was previously used to describe a type of lung cancer. This classification system has been replaced by more accurate and specific terminology.

Characteristics of Mucinous Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma

• It was characterized by the presence of mucin-producing cells and/or Clara cells, which are types of epithelial cells found in the lungs.
• The tumor exhibited a lepidic growth pattern, meaning it grew along the alveoli (air sacs) of the lung.
• It was often described as a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, indicating that the cancer cells were similar to normal lung cells.

Reclassification and Current Terminology

The term mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is no longer used in modern pathology. Instead, it has been reclassified as invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA).

• IMA accounts for approximately 2-10% of all lung adenocarcinomas.
• It is characterized by the presence of mucin-producing cells and/or Clara cells, similar to the original description of mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

Implications and Treatment

The reclassification of mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma as invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma has significant implications for diagnosis and treatment. Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment option for IMA, similar to other subsets of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

References:

• [4] Formerly known as mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma is now recognized as a distinct variant of invasive adenocarcinoma.
• [6] IMA accounts for approximately 2-10% of lung adenocarcinomas and is characterized by the presence of mucin-producing cells and/or Clara cells.
• [10] The term bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is obsolete and no longer used in modern pathology, replaced by more accurate terminology such as invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Common Signs and Symptoms

The obsolete mucinous bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma, also known as BAC, typically presents with the following symptoms:

• Cough: A persistent cough is one of the most common presenting symptoms, often described as dry or productive (1).
• Hemoptysis: Coughing up blood or blood-stained mucus can occur due to the tumor's invasion into the airways (9).
• Chest pain: Pain in the chest area can be a symptom, although it is not always present (6).
• Loss of appetite and weight loss: As the disease progresses, patients may experience a decrease in appetite and subsequent weight loss (6).

Radiological Manifestations

In addition to these symptoms, radiological imaging can reveal:

• Ground glass opacities: Early signs of BAC can appear as ground glass opacities on chest X-rays or CT scans (3).
• Consolidation: Large parts of a lobe or the entire lung may become consolidated, displaying a glistening, mucinous cut surface (7).

Other Characteristics

It's worth noting that:

• Most cases are asymptomatic: BAC is often diagnosed incidentally on imaging studies, with many patients being asymptomatic at presentation (6).
• Symptoms can be similar to pneumonia: The radiological appearance of BAC can mimic pneumonia or other lung conditions, making diagnosis challenging (8).

References: [1] - Search result 2 [3] - Search result 3 [6] - Search result 6 [7] - Search result 7 [8] - Search result 8 [9] - Search result 9

Diagnostic Tests for Mucinous Bronchoalveolar Carcinoma

Mucinous bronchoalveolar carcinoma, now considered an obsolete term and referred to as invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma, is a type of lung cancer. The diagnostic tests used to determine the presence of this cancer are similar to those used for other types of lung cancers.

• History: A thorough medical history is essential in diagnosing mucinous bronchoalveolar carcinoma. Patients may report symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath [6].
• Physical Examination: A physical examination can help identify any abnormalities in the lungs or other parts of the body [6].
• Routine Laboratory Evaluations: Routine laboratory evaluations, including blood tests and imaging studies, can help determine if cancer is present [6].
• Chest X-ray: A chest x-ray may be used to visualize the lungs and detect any abnormalities [6].

In addition to these general diagnostic tests, other procedures such as:

• Immunohistochemistry (IHC): IHC can be used to determine the type of lung cancer present. For example, a small biopsy specimen may be designated as "NSCC, favor adenocarcinoma" based on ancillary tests [7].
• Computed Tomography (CT) scans: CT scans can help identify the size and location of tumors in the lungs. They can also detect any lymph node involvement or metastasis to other parts of the body [3][4].
• 18F-FDG PET/CT scans: 18F-FDG PET/CT scans have been reported to have reduced sensitivity in detecting bronchoalveolar carcinoma compared to lung cancers with other histologies. However, CT characteristics that are suggestive of BAC can be used to refine diagnostic criteria and improve the accuracy of PET/CT scans [10].

It's worth noting that the diagnosis of mucinous bronchoalveolar carcinoma or adenocarcinoma in situ should only be rendered on complete histologic examination of an excised specimen [2].

Based on the available information, it appears that mucinous bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is an obsolete term for a type of lung cancer that has been reclassified into other types.

However, there are some relevant findings related to the treatment of similar types of lung cancer:

• Gefitinib, a targeted therapy, has been shown to improve severe bronchorrhea and prolong the survival of a patient with lung invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma [1][2].
• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy [3].
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nivolumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which includes mucinous adenocarcinoma [4].

It's worth noting that there is no specific information available on the drug treatment of obsolete mucinous bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma, as this term is no longer used in current medical practice.

References:

[1] Gefitinib improves severe bronchorrhea and prolongs the survival of a patient with lung invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. [2] [3] Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. [4] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 approved Nivolumab (blocks PD-1) for the treatment of LUSC (and subsequently for all NSCLC