Tracheal Cancer: A Rare and Deadly but Potentially Curable Disease that Also Affects Younger People

The authors interrogated a Norwegian national database for patients with tracheal cancer, a rare but treatable disease. Seventy-sevent patients were identified, giving a crude incidence rate of 0.075 per 100,000 per year. The overall five-year survival was 31.7 percent, and in those treated with surgical resection or curative radiotherapy it was 53.7 percent. Age, histological type, and treatment mode were found to be independent prognostic factors. Although survival has improved, the prognosis is generally still poor. Increased awareness among physicians and early diagnosis are crucial.