Localized "alveolar cell" tumour with bronchial involvement.

The literature concerning the disease or group of related conditions, variously designated as alveolar cell tumour, pulmonary adenomatosis, and bronchiolar carcinoma, has been extensively reviewed by Neubuerger and Geever (1942), Ikeda (1945), Swan (1949), Hutchison (1952), and by Storey, Knudtson, and Lawrence (1953). The last of these added all the previously reported authentic cases to their own, thus making a total of 217 at that time. This paper records a further case of a tumour of "alveolar cell" type, which is of particular interest on account of its unusual involvement of small bronchi and bronchioles. For this reason the tumour presents difficulties in precise classification, as between a so-called " alveolar cell " tumour and a peripheral bronchogenic or bronchiolar adenocarcinoma. The tumour is also of interest because of its localized nature, rendering it amenable to surgery, and on account of the radiological appearances which provided the first indication of a pulmonary neoplasm.