Primary tracheal tumors.

A 33-year study (from 1963 through 1995) was conducted on 144 patients who underwent surgery for primary tumors of the trachea: 70 females and 65 males aged between 7 and 69 years. In 77 patients the tumor was in the thoracic trachea, in 26 in the cervical trachea, and in 41 at the tracheal bifurcation. The tumor was benign in 24 and malignant in 120. The most frequent malignant tumors were adenoidcystic carcinoma (more than 50%), squamous cell carcinoma, and carcinoid. The main diagnostic methods used were lateral and oblique roentgenography, tracheobronchoscopy and in the last 10 years, CT scans. One hundred forty-six operations were performed (2 patients underwent surgery twice). In 60, sleeve resection with anastomosis was made; in 37, different kinds of carinal resections were performed. Total hospital mortality was 15%. After resection for malignant tumors, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 47.5%, 35.9%, and 27.1%, respectively.