Table 1 Studies regarding radiotherapy employment in the treatment of tracheal tumors

Maziak et al., 1996 [6]

Retrospective study

ACC of the upper airways

− 38 patients underwent resection: 25 received adjuvant radiotherapy (various dosages); 7 did not receive adjuvant therapy

− 6 inoperable patients treated with primary radiotherapy (50 to 75 Gy)

– Mean survival with adjuvant radiotherapy: 88 ± 76 months

– Mean survival with resection only: 131 ± 131 months

– Mean survival with primary radiotherapy alone: 74 ± 64 months

Kanematsu et al., 2002 [7]

Retrospective study

Primary ACC of the lung

− 5 of 6 patients underwent resection and received adjuvant RT (50–61.2 Gy)

− 5 patients with unresectable tumor underwent primary RT (50 to 70 Gy)

At a 5-year follow-up:

– survival rate in patients treated with adjuvant RT: 91%

– survival rate in patients treated with primary RT: 40%

Regnard et al., 1996 [3]

Multicenter retrospective study

Primary tracheal tumors, including ACC

26 of 60 patients underwent resection and received adjuvant therapy

Radiotherapy showed beneficial effects on survival in cases of incomplete resection only

Grillo and Mathisen, 1990 [4]

Series of cases

Primary tracheal tumors, including ACC

60 of 80 patients affected by ACC underwent surgical resection, and nearly all of them received postoperative RT; 12 patients treated with RT only (9 of which died of carcinoma)

Resection associated to RT gives 2 to 4 years survival