[Clinical characteristics of 8 cases of primary tracheal tumors]

To explore the clinical characteristics of primary tracheal tumors and therefore to improve the diagnosis and treatment.

A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 8 patients with primary tracheal tumors admitted to our department during the period of May 1994 to May 2006 was performed, with detailed description of the clinical manifestations, chest radiography, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, lung function measurements, treatment and prognosis for 4 cases.

Seven patients presented with irritable cough and progressive inspiratory dyspnea, mostly misdiagnosed as asthma or chronic bronchitis. Examination by fiberoptic bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of tracheal tumor in all the cases. One case with benign neurinoma and 2 cases with adenoid cystic carcinomas had a long-term postoperative remission. Two cases of squamous cell carcinoma with severe tracheal stenosis got rapid symptom remission after intervention of tracheal stent by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and argon plasma coagulation. One patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma refused any treatment. One patient with squamous cell carcinoma lost follow-up after surgery. One patient with adenocarcinoma died of progressive deterioration after 2 month chemotherapy.

Primary tracheal tumors occur infrequently and early clinical symptoms are unspecific. Early diagnosis can be made by chest CT and fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Benign tracheal tumors can be resected, and for some low-grade malignant tumors surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy can improve long term survival. Intervention with fiberoptic bronchoscopy to unresectable diseases can lead to symptom remission and thus improve patient's life quality.