Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare pulmonary disease characterized by alveolar accumulation of surfactant. There are only four sporadic PAP case reports associated with lung cancers. These case reports describe only that lung cancer might develop subsequently or coincidently with PAP. Here, we report a case of PAP associated with lung squamous cell carcinoma. This patient with PAP w...

Pulmonary surfactant is a surface active material composed of both lipids and proteins that is produced by alveolar type II pneumocytes. Abnormalities of surfactant in the immature lung or in the acutely inflamed mature lung are well described. However, in a variety of subacute diseases of the mature lung, abnormalities of lung surfactant may also be of importance. These diseases include chroni...

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare condition traditionally requiring treatment with whole lung lavage. The case is presented of a young man who obtained complete remission following treatment with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, a new treatment option. (Thorax 2001;56:664–665)

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare pulmonary disease. Diagnosis is established by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), which has macroscopic 'milky appearance', and in the presence of typical computed tomography, findings are diagnostic of PAP but, however, the feature of periodic acid-Schiff-positive eosinophilic proteinaceous fluid raises the confidence of the diagnosis. We report late-o...