Primary chemoradiation as definitive treatment for unresectable cancer of the trachea.

A 64-year-old man was diagnosed with unresectable cancer of the trachea. He was treated definitively with a novel chemoradiation regimen. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy (ChT) was given for two cycles as induction, followed by concurrent administration of this ChT with external beam radiotherapy (RT) (total dose 60 Gy). An unexpected partial tumour response was noted after the induction of ChT alone. Six weeks after finishing ChT/RT, complete response of the lesion was noted on computed tomography imaging. Two years later, the patient was free of disease. Primary chemoradiation appears to be effective in managing locally advanced tracheal cancer.