[Radiotherapy of primary malignant tumors of the trachea. Apropos of 31 cases]

We report 31 cases of primary malignant tumours of the trachea, treated with radiotherapy at the Tumour Centre, Pitié-Salpêtrière, from June 1968 to January 1982. Three patients received complementary post-operative irradiation: one had an epidermoid carcinoma, operated by incomplete resection and anastomosis, and survived 12 months after irradiation with 60,00 grays in 6 weeks (local recurrence of tumour and mediastinal extension); the other two had cylindromas of the trachea with complete resection and anastomosis: the first remains alive 6 years after an irradiation of 65,00 grays over 6 weeks, the second is alive 5 years after post-operative irradiation of 60,00 grays in 6 weeks. These two latter tumours evolved slowly and local recurrence may occur after five years and sometimes longer, after local treatment. 28 other cases presenting with an epidermoid carcinoma of the trachea received radiotherapy exclusively, when a surgical cure was impossible. Irradiation was interrupted in two patients: one after a dose of 12,00 grays for sudden massive haemoptysis, the other after a dose of 22,00 grays for an oesophago-tracheal fistula. An apparent complete remission was obtained in 80% of cases, judged by a tracheo-bronchial endoscopic examination carried out in the six weeks following the treatment. Two deaths were seen from intercurrent disease: one at two months from a granulocytosis caused iatrogenically from medication and the other at five months from bilateral bronchopneumonia. One patient was alive at 9 months in apparent complete local remission, but lost to follow up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)