Tumour volume and macroscopic growth pattern of bronchogenic carcinoma

126 resected malignant lung tumours were cut into serial sections. The tumour volume, the pTN-stage and the macroscopic growth pattern were computed. The average tumour volume was found to be 28.5-35.8 cm3 (confidence limits, p greater than or equal to 95%) and to be independent of the major cell type of the carcinomas. The cell types grow in different macroscopically distinguishable tumour growth patterns: epidermoid carcinomas grow mostly in bizarre finger-like shapes and small cell anaplastic and adenocarcinomas more frequently in ball-like shapes. The different growth patterns depend on the cell type, the cellular response of the host tissue and the tumour volume. Due to irregular growth pattern the tumour volume computed by X-ray diameter is likely to be overestimated by 50%-300%.