CARCINOMA OF THE TRACHEA: REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE AND REPORT OF A CASE

Owing to the more extensive use of the bronchoscope and the more frequent performance of necropsy, cases of carcinoma of the trachea are being reported less seldom. Perusal of the literature reveals this lesion to be rare ; it is observed, however, in about 0.004 per cent of all autopsies. Broman, 1 D'Aunoy and Zoeller 2 and Figi 3 have written excellent articles on this condition during the past ten years. The case here reported 4 is the first encountered at Billings Hospital ; it is significant because of the typical course, the ulceration of the tumor into the esophagus and the absence of recognizable malignant cells in the postmortem specimen after roentgen therapy. INCIDENCE In 5,063 autopsies Fraenkel 5 found 7 cases of primary carcinoma of the trachea and 27 of primary malignant lesions of the larynx. Analyzing 700 cases of cancer at the University of Jena, Bilz 6 found