Tracheal Small Cell Carcinoma in a 52-year-old Male: A Case Report

Primary small cell carcinoma of the trachea is a rare tumor fitting in the spectrum of neuroendocrine tumors. Due to the rarity and unspecific symptoms, the tumor is frequently misdiagnosed with other chronic lung diseases, and diagnosis is delayed. Here, we described a 52-year-old male presenting with dyspnea and cough. He had been treated with bronchodilators for months for suspected asthma or bronchiolitis without improvement. He had central wheezing on the general examination. Chest CT scan was unremarkable except for soft tissue prominence in the thoracic trachea. A large exophytic tumor was observed on bronchoscopy. A biopsy specimen was taken and revealed small cell carcinoma of the trachea. The patient succumbed to illness a short time after the bronchoscopy and before receiving any treatment. Our effort through this case report was to raise awareness of this rare tumor since a delay in diagnosis could lead to serious complications and even death.