OBJECTIVETo explore the treatment and prognosis on patients with tracheal invasion by papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODSForty-five patients treated for PTC with tracheal invasion between 1980 and 1995 were retrospectively analyzed. The different kinds of surgical modalities were performed according to the extent and degree of tracheal invasion by PTC. Neck dissect was performed in 39 patients. External beam radiotherapy was used postoperatively in patients with gross residual tumor or microscopic residual tumor in pathologic margins after resection. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS(1) Twenty-eight patients with limited tracheal invasion were treated with shave excision, the 5- and 10-year survival rates were 85.0% and 62.6%, respectively. After a shave excision, the differences of 5- and 10-year survival rates between irradiated and nonirradiated patients were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). (2) Ten patients were radical excision for intraluminal involvement extending through the tracheal cartilage, including circumferential sleeve resection (4 cases), tracheal window resection (5 cases) and total laryngectomy (1 case), the survival rate was 80.0% for five years and 58.3% for ten years. After a radical excision, the differences of 5- and 10-year survival rates between irradiated and nonirradiated patients were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). (3) For 7 patients performing the palliative operation, the 5-and 10-year survival rates were 42.9% and 28.6%, respectively. For 4 patients received postoperative radiotherapy, the 5-and 10-year survival rates were 50.0% and 50.0%, respectively. Three patients didn't received postoperative radiotherapy, the 5-year survival rate was 33.3%, no patient survived for ten years. In these patients of incomplete resection, the differences of 5-and 10-year survival rates between irradiated and nonirradiated patients were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPTC with limited involvement of the trachea could be treated successfully by shaving tumor off the tracheal cartilage. Intraluminal involvement extending through the tracheal cartilage could be resected radically in patients with PTC. Postoperative radiotherapy could improve the survival of the patients with PTC with tracheal invasion who have been performed incomplete resection.