Thirty bronchiolar carcinomas were studied, and were compared with pulmonary adenocarcinomas. Differentiation is difficult, as there is great overlap of morphological patterns. Bronchiolar carcinomas may arise from bronchioles or from atypical metaplasia adjacent to lung scars. Over half were associated with preexistent scarring. Bronchiolar carcinomas are usually peripheral, frequently asymptomatic, and most often present on x‐ray as a solitary nodule. Multiple nodules, usually due to aerogenous metastasis, were present in 57% on histologic examination. Resection rate was 80%, but only 14% of total patients were 5‐year cures. We conclude that there is neither morphological, histogenetic, nor clinical reasons for separating bronchiolar carcinoma from adenocarcinoma of the lung, and recommend that the term “bronchiolar carcinoma” be discarded.

One hendred adenocarcinomas of the lung were studied. Adenocarcinoma accounted for 9% of primary pulmonary malignancies in men examined for this study. Clinical features included peripheral location (65%), frequent lack of symptoms (28%), and difficulty in making a diagnosis prior to thoracotomy. Seventy‐one per cent of the adenocarcionmas were resected with only 9% 5‐year cures. Vascular invasion, pleural invasion, and degree of tumor differentiation were of no prognostic significance, but metastasis to lymph nodes and large tumor size were adverse factors. Almost half of the adenocarcinomas were associated with pre‐existent pulmonary scars, with transition from atypical metaplasia to carcinoma. Scar‐associated carcinomas seemed to have a more favorable prognosis. Reasons for the low cure rate are unclear. The incidence of lymph node and vasular nvasion is comparable to other bronchogenic and “recurrences” or “pulmojnary metastasis” may represent second primaries arising in such foci.

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