[Bronchorrhea in a case of pneumonic type of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma]

The authors describe a case of 80-years old male hospitalized because of radiological and clinical signs suggestive of right-sided pneumonia. The main complaints of the patient were of productive cough with increasing amounts of watery sputum irregular fever up to 39 degrees C, progressive dyspnea, generalized weakness and loss of weight. Despite extensive use of antimicrobial and antituberculosis agents significant deterioration of patients general condition and the progression of X-ray picture were observed, inflammatory infiltration started to encompass the contralateral lung. Bronchial washing revealed the presence of atypical and neoplasmatic cells of adenous origin type. Since this finding contrasted with the pattern of radiological abnormality that did not show any tumor-like changes, another diagnostic approach was undertaken. Transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy revealed cells of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The diagnosis of bronchioalveolar carcinoma established on the basis of clinicoradiologic pattern was confirmed at autopsy. Increasing bronchorrhea was the most prominent symptom.