Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of Trachea Treated with Radical Radiotherapy: A Case Report

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of trachea is rare and is associated with prolonged survival and better prognosis. It is often misdiagnosed as chronic bronchitis or asthma. The ideal treatment option is surgical resection with tracheal reconstruction followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Post operative radiotherapy may decrease the risk of local recurrence, but has no effect on the survival. In this report, we present a case of a patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma of trachea treated only by radical radiotherapy by intensity modulated radiotherapy technique. Initial coring followed by radical radiotherapy may be considered in unresectable cases or in those patients who refuse surgery. Radical radiotherapy may alone treat adenoid cystic carcinoma of trachea without any surgical morbidity, indicating that adenoid cystic carcinoma may be relatively and not absolutely resistant to radiation. There is no role of chemotherapy in adenoid cystic carcinoma.