Primary solitary lymphoma of the trachea

A case history is reported of an 81-year-old woman with progressively increasing airway obstruction and progressive stenosis of the intrathoracic trachea. Repeated endoscopic biopsies failed to establish a diagnosis. At thoracotomy, an isolated tumor mass was found originating in the trachea without grossly apparent mediastinal nodes. Biopsy of the tumor mass revealed lymphoma. Radiotherapy resulted in complete remission, which continues at 22 months.