[The solitary alveolar cell carcinoma]

Alveolar-cell carcinoma was first described by Malassez in 1876. It contributes 5 per cent to all malignant tumors of the lung. In a retrospective study 75 patients with alveolar-cell carcinoma were analyzed. Clinical symptoms are non-specific and the tumor will often be discovered on the occasion of a routine chest X-ray as a small peripheral and infiltrative lesion. The most frequent form is a nodule which generally shows a regular and well defined outline, but may sometimes be irregular and have spiky margins too. Very often an air bronchogram and the tail sign can be seen so the combination seems typical of solitary alveolar-cell carcinoma. In the case material investigated the authors found it in 36 per cent. The early stage of localized alveolar-cell carcinoma has a good prognosis when treated by surgery. Multilocular and advanced cases, however, have a very poor prognosis. Therefore, early radiological diagnosis is most important. The value of needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of alveolar-cell carcinoma is emphasized.