Lifespan's A - Z Health Information Library

A bronchial adenoma is a glandular tumor in the trachea or large bronchi (the large airways of the lung) that usually causes obstruction of the airway. Although the term bronchial adenoma classically refers to a benign tumor of the airway -- also known as a mucous gland adenoma -- it is often misapplied to malignant tumors such as carcinomas and carcinoids of the airways.

Bronchial gland tumors; Mucous gland adenoma; Bronchial carcinoid tumors; Adenocarcinoma of the bronchus; Cancer - bronchial adenoma

These tumors grow slowly and rarely metastasize (spread). The cause is unknown. There is a tendency of this type of tumor to cause bleeding or obstruction of a lung or lung lobe.

• Bloody sputum
• Cough
• Wheezing
• Recurrent pneumonia
• Slowly resolving pneumonia
• Collapse of a lung lobe or segment
• Cough lasting more than 6 weeks.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Skin blushing/flushing (see carcinoid syndrome)

• Bronchoscopy
• Chest x-ray may show a single lung nodule or pneumonia in one segment or lobe of the lung

Surgical or endoscopic removal of the tumor is the standard treatment.

Surgery usually results in a complete cure.

• Bleeding
• Airway obstruction
• Pneumonia
• Spreading of the tumor to regional lymph nodes (very rare)

• Bleeding (hemoptysis)
• Breathing difficulty