Case Report

A Primary Tracheal Carcinoid Tumor Masquerading as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Authors: Bahadir T. Uskul, MD, Hatice Turker, MD, Ibrahim S. Dincer, MD, Alkin Melikoglu, MD, Oktay Tasolar, MD, Canan Tahaoglu, MD

Abstract

Primary tumors of the trachea are rare and can be missed because of the paucity of symptoms and findings and the difficulty in detecting them with chest radiographs. A 31-year-old male patient was admitted with complaints of shortness of breath, coughing, phlegm, and blood in the sputum. He stated that he was being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a vegetative mass with a wide base on the posterolateral wall of the distal one-third of the trachea. Postoperative histopathological examination revealed a typical carcinoid tumor. In patients with an unexplained cough, dyspnea, infrequent hemoptysis, and normal pulmonary imaging findings, tracheal carcinoma should be suspected. In such cases, early thoracic computed tomography and bronchoscopic examination can provide a rapid diagnosis and treatment options and prevent a false diagnosis.


Key Points


* Tracheal tumors may frequently masquerade as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the chest radiograph may be normal.


* Chest radiography is insufficient and ineffective in diagnosing tracheal lesions.


* When a tracheal lesion is suspected, spiral lung computed tomography is the preferred imaging method.


* Bronchoscopy allows a fast diagnosis and airway evaluation; endobronchial therapy relieves the obstruction, allows tumor resection using cryotherapy, and prevents recurrences. Laser application also reduces the risk of tumor bleeding before mechanical resection.


* Surgical resection is the only curative therapy for atypical carcinoid tumors.

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