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Incidence and Treatment of Tracheal Cancer: A Nationwide Study in The Netherlands

Annals of Surgical Oncology volume 14, pages 968–976 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, characteristics, treatment, and survival of patients with tracheal malignancies in the Netherlands.

Methods

All cases of tracheal cancer entered into the database of the Netherlands Cancer Registry in the period 1989–2002 were selected. Data on histological type, age at time of diagnosis, treatment, and survival were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

The annual incidence was 0.142 per 100,000 inhabitants (308 cases, of which 15 were found incidentally at autopsy). Of these, 72% were men. In 52.9%, the histological type was squamous cell carcinoma and in only 7.1% adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Mean age at time of diagnosis was 64.3 years. Of the 293 patients diagnosed while alive, 34 patients underwent surgical resection (11.6%), 156 patients received radiotherapy (53.2%), and 103 patients neither (35.4%). Median survival of all 293 patients was 10 months (mean 28 months) with 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates of 43%, 15%, and 6%, respectively. The prognosis of patients with ACC was significantly better. The 5-year survival rate in patients who underwent surgical resection was 51%, and the 10-year survival rate in these patients was 33%.

Conclusion

The prognosis of patients with a tracheal malignancy is usually poor. Surgical treatment, however, can lead to good survival rates; still, this is currently only used in selected patients, even though it would seem to be possible in more cases in view of the technical advances in the field of tracheal surgery. Centralizing the care and treatment of tracheal cancers and implementing a more assertive attitude towards this disease could make surgery accessible to a larger number of patients. Data from the literature show that this would lead to better survival in patients with a tracheal malignancy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Oto-rhino-laryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jimmie Honings MS & Henri A. M. Marres MD, PhD

  2. Comprehensive Cancer Center East, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jos A. A. M. van Dijck PhD

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jos A. A. M. van Dijck PhD

  4. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Ad F. T. M. Verhagen MD, PhD

  5. Department of Pulmonary diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Henricus F. M. van der Heijden MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Jimmie Honings MS
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  2. Jos A. A. M. van Dijck PhD
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  3. Ad F. T. M. Verhagen MD, PhD
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  4. Henricus F. M. van der Heijden MD, PhD
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  5. Henri A. M. Marres MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Henri A. M. Marres MD, PhD.

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Honings, J., van Dijck, J.A.A.M., Verhagen, A.F.T.M. et al. Incidence and Treatment of Tracheal Cancer: A Nationwide Study in The Netherlands. Ann Surg Oncol 14, 968–976 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-006-9229-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-006-9229-z

Keywords

  • Tracheal cancer
  • Nationwide study
  • Epidemiology
  • Treatment of tracheal cancer
  • Survival of patients with tracheal cancer