Primary tumors of the trachea. Results of radiation therapy.

From 1959 to 1986, 24 patients with primary malignant tumors of the trachea received radiotherapy as all or part of treatment. Common presentations included respiratory symptoms in 20 patients and hemoptysis in 15. Thirteen patients had squamous carcinomas with undifferentiated and adenoid cystic cancers in five and four patients, respectively. Overall actuarial survival was 45% at 1 year, 25% at 5 years, and 13% at 10 years. Survival was significantly correlated to histologic type (adenoid cystic versus squamous, P less than 0.03), but not to tumor extent or to patient age or sex. Local control was attained in 10 of 24 patients overall and was more frequent for patients with tumors localized to the trachea and for patients who were treated with combined surgery and radiotherapy. For the 18 patients treated with radiotherapy alone, complete response (CR) was seen to be significantly (P less than 0.001) related to dose: six of seven (86%) patients receiving greater than or equal to 6000 cGy attained CR versus one of 11 (9%) receiving less than 6000 cGy. Three patients developed complications related to radiotherapy. Radiotherapy can provide durable local control of localized tracheal tumors and should be considered for medically inoperable patients with localized tumors and for patients with high risk of recurrence after resection.