Long-term results of surgery for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea and bronchi.
OBJECTIVE
Over a period of 26 years, 16 patients (9 women, 7 men) underwent surgery for primary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the trachea and bronchi. The median age at diagnosis was 41.4 years (range 25-67). Nine tumours were located in the bifurcational area, five in the trachea, one in the middle-lobe bronchus and one in the parenchyma of the left lower lobe.


METHODS
Surgical procedures were as follows: three tracheal transversal resections; five resections of the distal trachea including the bifurcational region, followed by bifurcational reconstruction; two right-sleeve pneumonectomies; three left-sleeve pneumonectomies; two lobectomies; and one explorative sternotomy.


RESULTS
Eleven patients were available for follow-up at least 5 years after surgery. Three of these patients (27%) had local recurrence 155+/-30 (range 120-175) months after surgery. Distant metastases occurred in six patients (55%) after a median time interval of 96+/-68 (range 24-180) months after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Five-year and 10-year survivals were excellent, 79 and 57% respectively, but the long-term outcome was poor due to late local recurrences and late metastatic spread. It is not yet certain whether a cure can really be achieved in ACC.
Prommegger
R
R
Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Rupert.Prommegger@uibk.ac.at
Salzer
G M
GM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome