Surgical treatment of patients with stenosis of the central airway due to tracheal tumours

This study retrospectively evaluated bronchoscopic and surgical treatments for patients with central airway stenosis due to tracheal tumours. Seven patients treated by resection and reconstruction of the trachea for tracheal tumours between 1994 and 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The most common histological finding was thyroid carcinoma (n = 3), followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 2), a metastatic thyroid tumour (n = 1), and a benign granular cell tumour (n = 1). Three of the patients required preoperative laser treatment (Nd:YAG) for recanalization. Five patients underwent end-to-end anastomosis for reconstruction. There was no postoperative mortality or morbidity such as anastomotic insufficiency of the reconstructed trachea. Three patients with a microscopic residual tumour required postoperative external radiotherapy. Surgical resection of malignant tracheal tumours is recommended not only for curative purposes, but also for reduction of the risk of smothering.     

Management of tracheal tumors

Since 1962, 110 primary tracheal tumors have been seen including 43 squamous cell carcinomas, 38 adenoid cystic, and 29 varied. Sixty-nine patients underwent resection of their primary tumors; an additional 33 patients with secondary tumors involving the trachea also underwent resection. Seventy-three of these 102 patients underwent primary reanastomosis. In 17, laryngotracheal resection was required; staged resections were done for the rest. Survival data indicate that benign tumors are cured by resection with reconstruction and that patients with squamous cell carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and other types of malignant lesions obtained either long-term palliation or cure if surgical resection was possible. In patients with selected types of secondary tumors, resection and reconstruction provide prolonged palliation.     

Tracheal tumors: surgical management.

In a 15-year period, 63 patients with primary tracheal tumors were seen. Twenty-eight patients with primary tumors and 8 with secondary tumors of the trachea were treated by resection with single-stage reconstruction. There were 24 cylindrical resections of trachea, 2 lateral resections of trachea, and 10 carinal reconstructions. Thirty-five additional patients with primary tracheal tumors were managed by staged reconstruction, irradiation, or no treatment. The most common primary lesion was squamous cell carcinoma and the second, adenoid cystic carcinoma. Benign primary tumors and low-grade malignant tumors obtained excellent palliation and usually cure. Surgical removal of squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma, usually with adjunctive irradiation, provided good palliation or the probability of cure. Resection of selected secondary tumors provided long-term palliation.     

Experience with primary neoplasms of the trachea and carina

From 1963 to 1983, 44 patients presented with a primary tracheal neoplasm that was amenable to surgical treatment. Forty-two of the 44 tumors were malignant. Thirty-three patients were managed by resection and primary anastomosis. The following resections were done: trachea only, 12; trachea plus carina, 13; trachea plus cricoid cartilage, four; and trachea plus larynx, four. There were two operative deaths in these 33 patients. Prosthetic reconstruction with heavy-duty Marlex mesh was done in six patients. Three of the six died of erosion of the innominate artery during the postoperative period. In three patients with nonresectable tumors, a silicone-coated Montgomery T-tube provided transient but worthwhile palliation. In two patients with nonobstructive adenoid cystic carcinoma involving the subglottis, irradiation was chosen as the initial treatment, since resection would necessitate laryngectomy. Resection, including laryngectomy, may be required in the future. The following points are emphasized: (1) A majority of operable neoplasms can be resected through a cervical collar incision and median sternotomy. Median sternotomy is the optimal operative exposure in most neoplasms necessitating resection of the carina. (2) Partial resection of the cricoid with sparing of the recurrent laryngeal nerves and larynx is possible in some patients with primary malignant tumors involving the proximal trachea and subglottic region. (3) In patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma, resection may afford excellent, long-term palliation even when the resection is incomplete. Pulmonary metastases are common in patients with adenoid cystic tumors. However, they usually progress slowly, may remain asymptomatic for many years, and are not necessarily a contraindication to resection of the primary tumor even when they are synchronous. Our experience suggests that adjunctive radiotherapy is beneficial in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma.     

Primary tracheal tumors: treatment and results

One hundred ninety-eight patients with primary tracheal tumors were evaluated in 26 years. One hundred forty-seven tumors were excised (74%): 132 (66%) by resection and primary reconstruction, seven by laryngotracheal resection or cervicomediastinal exenteration, and eight by staged procedures. Eleven more were explored. Forty-four squamous cell carcinomas were resected, 60 adenoid cystic, and 43 assorted tumors, benign and malignant. Eighty-two patients underwent tracheal resection with primary reconstruction, and 50 had carinal resection and reconstruction. Surgical mortality for resection with primary reconstruction was 5%, with one death after tracheal and six after carinal repair. Six patients had stenosis after tracheal or carinal resection; all underwent reresection successfully. Nearly all patients with squamous or adenoid cystic carcinoma were irradiated postoperatively. Twenty of 41 survivors of resection of squamous cell carcinoma are living free of disease (some for more than 25 years), 39 of 52 with adenoid cystic carcinoma (up to nearly 19 years), and 35 of 42 with other lesions (5 lost to follow-up). Comparison of length of survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma who are alive without disease with those who died with carcinoma supports surgical treatment (usually followed by irradiation). Positive lymph nodes or invasive disease at resection margins appear to have an adverse effect on cure of squamous cell carcinoma; such an effect is not demonstrable with adenoid cystic carcinoma.     

Treatment outcome of resected and nonresected primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The incidence of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung is relatively rare and the optimal treatment strategy is still unclear. METHODS: Sixteen adenoid cystic carcinoma patients were treated at our institute from 1972 to 1998 and their clinical features, treatments and survivals were reviewed. RESULTS: Half of all patients were female and the median age was 46 ranging from 30 to 64. All primary lesions were located in the central bronchial tree and 80% of the patients had some symptoms. Eleven patients underwent a resection of the tumor with/without plasty of the trachea or bronchus. Although 6 (55%) of 11 patients had a microscopic residual tumor after resection, 5 patients who received postoperative radiotherapy survived without recurrence from 3 to 17 years. Five patients received radiotherapy as their initial treatment and all tumors responded well to the treatment. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 91 and 76% without local recurrence in the resected group and 40 and 0% in the nonresected group, respectively. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that surgical resection should be selected first whenever possible, and, in addition, adenoid cystic carcinoma is sensitive to radiotherapy.     

Tracheobronchial tumors: an eighteen-year series from Capital Hospital, Peking, China

From 1961 to 1979 in Capital Hospital, Peking, China, 27 patients with tracheobronchial tumors were treated: 20 underwent operation and 7 were managed by palliative measures. All 27 patients had an intraluminal lesion of the trachea or major bronchi. Respiratory obstruction was the main clinical manifestation of the tracheal tumors. Chronic suppurative infection of the lung was the principal clinical manifestation of the bronchial tumors. Histological diagnosis of these 27 patients revealed ten different cell types: squamous cell carcinoma (10 patients, including the 7 who did not undergo operation); adenoid cystic carcinoma (5 patients); carcinoid, hamartoma, neurofibroma, and papilloma (2 patients each, respectively); and leiomyoma, hemangioma, chondroma, and teratoma (1 each, respectively). The operative methods used in 20 patients were lateral resection of tracheal wall (2 patients), resection of left main bronchial root (1), local excision (5), lobectomy (5), pneumonectomy (3), bronchoscopy (1), and exploratory operation and tracheostomy (3). Local excision or lateral wall resection of the trachea was chosen for benign or less dangerously malignant tracheal tumors. Lobectomy or pneumonectomy was performed for the secondarily infected, destroyed lungs in patients with bronchial tumors.     

气管及其隆突部肿瘤的外科治疗与预后

目的 总结分析气管及其隆突部肿瘤的临床表现、诊断、手术方法以及预后.方法 回顾性分析1986年6月至2005年6月手术治疗的32例气管及其隆突部肿瘤患者的临床资料,其中男性22例,女性10例,年龄14～63岁,中位年龄48岁.32例患者中气管肿瘤切除+端端吻合10例;全肺隆突切除+气管与主支气管端端吻合8例(右侧6例,左侧2例);右上肺隆突袖式切除重建术4例;隆突切除重建术4例;气管开窗行肿瘤及气管壁部分切除6例,其中2例因气管壁切除范围过大,以涤纶布内衬修补.结果 32例中鳞状细胞癌19例,腺样囊腺癌8例,腺癌2例,类癌1例,平滑肌肉瘤1例,腺瘤1例.手术并发症包括术后1例胸腔感染,3例出现心律失常.全组患者无手术死亡.随访时间5个月～3年,随访率100%.Kaplan-Meier法计算1、2和3年生存率为93.7%、59.4%和50.0%.结论 鳞状细胞癌和腺样囊性癌是气管及其隆突部肿瘤最常见的组织类型,术前气管镜和CT可帮助诊断,手术方式的正确选择是提高治疗效果的关键.     

Clinical and pathologic characteristics in patients with tracheobronchial tumor: report of 50 patients

From January, 1961, to July, 1985, 50 patients in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital with intraluminal tracheobronchial tumors were operated on. There was no gender or age predominance either in the 24 patients with tracheal tumor or in the 26 patients with bronchial tumor. The 13 cell types found in these patients' specimens were divided into four groups: malignant, low-grade malignant, benign with tendency to recur and benign without tendency to recur. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma were the most common tumors of the trachea. Carcinoid and adenoid cystic carcinoma were the most common tumors of the bronchus in this group of patients. Conservative excision with postoperative irradiation may be sufficient for patients with advanced lesions of low-grade malignancy.     

Primary tracheal malignant neoplasms: the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center experience

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant neoplasms of the trachea are very rare and data relating to them are limited. This study was conducted to review the presentation, management, and outcomes of primary tracheal cancers at our institution, a large multidisciplinary cancer center. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review was conducted for all patients found to have a pathologic diagnosis of primary tracheal malignancy. RESULTS: Since 1945, 74 patients were diagnosed with primary tracheal cancers. Among these, 34 (45.9%) were squamous cell carcinomas, 19 (25.7%) were adenoid cystic carcinomas, and 21 (28.4%) were of other histologic types. Presenting symptoms were most frequently dyspnea (55.4%), hemoptysis (48.6%), cough (41.9%), and hoarseness (35.1%). Most patients (77.3%) were former or current smokers, particularly those with squamous cell carcinoma (93.3%). For the entire group of 74 patients, the 5-year disease-specific mortality rate was 72.9% and the 5-year all-cause mortality rate was 79.3%. Patients who had adenoid cystic carcinoma and those with cervical primaries had better rates of disease-specific and overall survival than others (p = 0.036 and 0.006 for the former patient group and p = 0.006 and 0.030 for the latter patient group). Among patients with incident disease treated at our institution (n = 45), those undergoing primary operation with adjuvant radiotherapy appeared to have better disease-specific and overall survival rates compared with those undergoing primary radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy (p = 0.0002 and 0.0003, respectively). Although those undergoing operation and receiving radiotherapy did better than those undergoing operation alone, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Primary tracheal cancers are very rare, and our results should be viewed with caution, given that our population comprised a small heterogeneous group treated over a 60-year period. Although squamous cell carcinoma was the most common pathology in smokers, adenoid cystic carcinoma was more prevalent among nonsmokers. Operation with adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy is recommended for most patients.     

Reconstruction of the trachea with a tubed radial forearm free flap

BACKGROUND: We present the case of a patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea who had 60 mm of the trachea excised and reconstructed with a stented radial forearm free flap. The patient was well in the immediate postoperative period with good function of the neotrachea. Problems developing after the reconstruction included proximal stricture, sputum retention, and recurrent pneumonia. RESULT: The patient died of malignant hypercalcemia 16 months after the reconstruction. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of a total tracheal resection and reconstruction with a combination of free tissue transfer and internal stenting. CONCLUSION: We conclude that tracheal reconstruction has the potential to provide a reliable airway in patients not able to be reconstructed with a primary anastomosis.     

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea. Experience with 16 patients managed by tracheal resection

Sixteen patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea were treated by resection, on occasion combined with radiotherapy. In 14 patients in whom circumferential resection was done, the defect was reconstructed by primary anastomosis (5 patients, up to 8.5 cm. resected), prosthetic replacement (6 patients, up to 11 cm. resected), or laryngectomy with end tracheostomy (3 patients). In 3 remaining patients a partial tracheal resection was closed with a patch of autologous tissue.There were no operative deaths in 11 patients (12 resections) managed by primary anastomosis, autologous graft, or end tracheostomy; and 8 of these 11 patients are alive and clinically free of local tumor 2 to 18 years following resection. Prosthetic replacement in 6 patients resulted in 4 postoperative deaths (3 due to innominate artery erosion); good palliation was obtained in the 2 survivors. In 6 patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy, no local recurrence of tumor has been observed, and tracheal healing was not impaired.Extensive sleeve resection of the trachea with primary anastomosis is now possible and is the treatment of choice for this tumor. Preoperative radiotherapy may delay or obviate local recurrence.     

Reconstruction of the trachea after resection for neoplasm

Sixty-three patients with primary tracheal tumors were seen in a 15-year period. The most common lesion was squamous-cell carcinoma, the next most common lesion was adenoid cystic carcinoma, and the remaining lesions were a variety of malignant and benign lesions. There were 3 carcinoid tumors in the group. Twenty-four cylindrical resections of the trachea, 2 lateral resections of the trachea, and 10 carinal reconstructions were performed. The balance of the patients seen in this period of time were not amenable to single-stage reconstruction and were managed by staged procedures, by irradiation, or by no treatment at all. Twenty-eight of the patients in the group with resections had primary tumors and 8 had secondary tumors. Secondary tumors included carcinoma of the thyroid, carcinoma of the esophagus, and recurrent carcinoid tumor in the left main bronchus. Although the numbers in any group are small and the period of follow-up not very long, indications are that surgical removal of squamous-cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea, usually with adjunctive irradiation, provides good palliation or the possibility of cure. Resection of benign primary tumors and low-grade malignant tumors resulted in excellent palliation and usually cure. Resection of selected secondary tumors did not offer much prospect for cure but did provide long-term palliation.     

氩等离子体凝固术治疗气管腺样囊性癌19例效果分析

目的评价经支气管镜氩等离子体凝固术(argon plasma coagulation, APC)在气管支气管腺样囊性癌治疗中的临床应用价值。 方法回顾性分析2000年1月至2017年12月解放军总医院呼吸科收治的原发性气管支气管腺样囊性癌患者19例,其中12例气管腺样囊性癌、7例支气管腺样囊性癌,均行经支气管镜氩等离子体凝固术治疗。 结果19例患者进行了6～132个月(平均58.11个月)的随访,定期行胸部CT和支气管镜检查,治疗后近期有效率为100%,咳嗽、胸闷、气短等症状明显改善。其中完全有效10例(53%)、部分有效5例(26%)、轻度有效4例(21%)。19例患者气促指数,治疗前(3.5± 0.5)级、治疗后(1.5±0.6)级,差异有统计学意义(t＝6.2,P<0.05)。无严重并发症。 结论APC对于气道腔内病变的治疗安全有效,可有效切除肿瘤,保证气道通畅,迅速改善临床症状,为气管支气管腺样囊性癌提供一种新的治疗选择。     

Clinicopathological study of surgically treated cases of tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma

Between 1980 and 2007, five patients were pathologically diagnosed as tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). All five patients were women aged 37–67 years. Four tumors were located in the larger airways, and one tumor was located in the peripheral lung. The following operations were done: bronchoplastic procedures in three (carinal resection with doublebarreled carinoplasty in one, sleeve right pneumonectomy in one, sleeve middle lobectomy in one), left pneumonectomy in one, and left upper lobectomy in one. Three of the five patients have survived for 172, 144, and 10 months after surgery, respectively. The best local treatment for ACC of the major airway is considered to be sleeve resection of the trachea or bronchus in an area where airway reconstruction may not be disturbed and to add postoperative irradiation when there is residual carcinoma at the stump. However, it seems controversial to recommend adjuvant radiotherapy in all patients undergoing resection.     

原发性气管癌44例临床分析

比较原发性气管癌手术与非手术治疗的疗效，探讨影响本病预后的因素。回顾性分析经组织学证实的４４例原发性气管癌病人的临床与随访资料。手术切除１８例；非手术治疗２６例（放疗采用钴６０或高能Ｘ线，靶区剂量为６０～７０Ｇｙ；化疗采用ＣＯＭＦ或ＡＭＦＰ方案４～６个疗程）。结果采用ＫａｐｌａｎＭｅｉｅｒ法计算其１、３、５年生存率，手术切除者分别为８３．３％、６６．７％和３３．３％，非手术治疗者分别为７３．１％、４２．３％和１５．４％。ｌｏｇｒａｎｋ检验显示无统计学意义，Ｐ＞０．０５。气管上段腺样囊性癌预后相对较好，治疗后５年内约有７７．３％病人死于肿瘤末控、复发或转移。结论：原发性气管癌手术与非手术者的预后似乎无明显差异，影响本病预后的因素主要为其发病部位和病理类型     

Carinal resection for bronchogenic carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of carinal resection for bronchogenic carcinoma in our institute. From 1981 to 1999, 24 carinal resection were performed for squamous cell carcinoma (n = 19), adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 2), small cell carcinoma (n = 1), adenocarcinoma (n = 1), and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n = 1). Nineteen underwent sleeve pneumonectomy, 2 had carinal resection without lung resection, 2 had carinal resection with right middle and lower lobectomy, and 1 had wedge pneumonectomy. In the patients with sleeve or wedge pneumonectomy, there were 5 operative death and 3 patients had survived for more than 3 years. Two patients with low-grade malignant tumors underwent carinal resection without lung resection and survived more than 10 years. We believe that limited carinal resection for low-grade malignant tumors are safe and valuable procedure. Careful selection of patients with sleeve or wedge pneumonectomy is mandatory.     

Phase II trial of taxol in salivary gland malignancies (E1394): a trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

BACKGROUND: Malignant tumors of the salivary glands make up approximately 5% of head and neck cancers. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) initiated a phase II evaluation of paclitaxel in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic salivary gland malignancies. METHODS: Chemo-naive patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic carcinoma of salivary gland origin (mucoepidermoid, adenocarcinoma, or adenoid cystic) were eligible. Patients were treated with paclitaxel, 200 mg/m(2) IV, every 21 days for a minimum of four cycles. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were treated. Eight partial responses were seen among the 31 patients with mucoepidermoid or adenocarcinoma histologic findings for a response rate of 26%. No responses were seen in the adenoid cystic carcinoma group. No significant difference in overall survival was found among these three histologic subgroups. CONCLUSION: Paclitaxel demonstrates moderate activity in salivary gland tumors of mucoepidermoid and adenocarcinoma histology. The poor response rate in adenoid cystic carcinoma is consistent with prior reports in this chemoresistant histologic subtype.     

Management and surgical resection for tracheobronchial tumors institutional experience with 12 patients

We reviewed the records of 12 patients with primary tracheobronchial tumors and various clinical characteristics treated at our institution to investigate our overall management experience with disease. Over a 21-year period, we treated 1405 cases of primary pulmonary neoplasms, of which 12 (0.9%) patients had primary tracheobronchial tumors with eight different histological types, including three adenoid cystic carcinomas, two bronchial carcinoids, two papillomas, one squamous cell carcinoma, one mucous gland adenoma, one inflammatory pseudotumor, one schwannoma, and one mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Eleven of the patients had symptoms of airway obstruction and/or secondary infection or bleeding. A complete resection was performed in ten, which included a sleeve lobectomy in seven, sleeve pneumonectomy in one, tracheal resection in one, and left main stem resection without lung resection in one. Median survival following complete resection was 91 months. When possible, a complete resection provides the best potential benefits and symptomatic relief for patients with tracheo-endobronchial tumors. Further, various options related to tracheobronchoplasty including conservative resection can be applied for surgical intervention.     

Epithelial lacrimal gland tumors: a clinicopathological study of 18 cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the clinicopathological features of 18 epithelial tumors of the lacrimal gland treated in a single institution. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Clinical data and treatment were recorded and histological features reviewed. RESULTS: Twelve tumors (66.7%) were adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 5 (27.8%) pleomorphic adenoma (PA), and 1 (5.5%) carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. All patients with ACC presented with advanced clinical stage, and most were treated by wide surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. No recurrence was observed in 4 cases of ACC; however, 7 patients died from persistence of disease or by local and/or distant recurrence. All PA patients were successfully treated by surgical resection. CONCLUSIONS: Epithelial lacrimal gland tumors are mainly PA and ACC, and malignancies are more common than benign tumors. Although ACC presented typically with advanced clinical stage, 33% of the patients survived without tumor recurrence or metastasis.