Fig. 55c: Computed tomographic scan of the chest (lung windows) shows left upper lobe carcinoma, T1 N0 M0, stage IA.

Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma
Bronchioalveolar carcinoma may present as a diffuse infiltrate with no evidence of obstructive endobronchial tumor. It may involve less than a lobe, a lobe, or more than one lobe, including bilateral disease. Because the primary tumor cannot be assessed, this manifestation of lung cancer is designated TX. Bilateral disease is designated M1 (Page 9, Figs. 1a-1b).

Bronchioalveolar carcinoma occurs more often as a solitary nodule or mass, but it also presents as multiple nodules within a lobe, or more than one lobe. If more than one nodule is present, the T classification would follow the same convention as recommended for metastasis within the ipsilateral lung; that is, multiple tumors within a tumor-bearing lobe of the lung are designated T4. Multiple nodules in ipsilateral nonprimary tumor lobes or in the contralateral lung are designated M1.