Published online Dec 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i23.6026
Peer-review started: April 22, 2020
First decision: September 29, 2020
Revised: October 9, 2020
Accepted: November 2, 2020
Article in press: November 2, 2020
Published online: December 6, 2020
Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign tumor that occurs in the salivary glands; however, tracheobronchial PA is rarely observed. To the best of our knowledge, fewer than 50 cases have been reported in the literature. We report a 49-year-old woman who had been treated for asthma for 2 years before being diagnosed with PA of the trachea.
A 49-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to dyspnea upon exertion and chronic cough with wheezing for 2 years. Laboratory tests showed an elevated white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count, and percentage of neutrophils. A chest computerized tomography scan showed a well-defined, soft-tissue density lesion measuring 2.4 cm × 2.1 cm in the lower trachea. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed that nearly 90% of the tracheal lumen was obstructed. The histopathological and immunohistochemistry features suggested PA of the trachea. Furthermore, we review the characteristics of 29 patients with tracheobronchial PA over the last 30 years.
Tracheobronchial PA occurs without gender predominance, mostly in the lower or upper trachea, and has a low recurrence rate. The median age at diagnosis is 48 years. The most common symptoms are cough, stridor, dyspnea, and wheezing.
Core Tip: Pleomorphic adenoma of the trachea is a rare benign tumor with slow growth. However, no standards for management have been established, and the clinical course has not yet been defined. In this study, 29 cases of tracheobronchial pleomorphic adenoma are reviewed with regard to the most common symptoms, clinical course, and treatment. For early and accurate diagnosis, chest computerized tomography and bronchoscopy should be performed initially in suspected cases.