[Management and prognosis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma with tracheal invasion].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate treatment modalities and prognosis differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) with tracheal invasion.

METHODS

Clinical data were reviewed and analyzed in 50 patients treated for DTC with tracheal invasion between January 1990 and June 1998. The different surgical modalities were applied according to the extent of tracheal invasion: shave excision (20 cases), tracheal sleeve resection or tracheal partial resection (23 cases), total laryngectomy or laryngeal closure surgery (7 cases). Thirty-eight cases received postoperative (131)I therapy. Survival rate was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

The 5-, 10- and 15-year survival rates of all the cases were 90.0%, 74.0% and 56.0%, respectively. The 5-, 10- and 15-year survival rates were 94.7%, 81.6% and 65.8% respectively in 38 cases with postoperative (131)I therapy and were 75.0%, 50.0% and 25.0% respectively in 12 cases without postoperative (131)I therapy, with statistically significant differences in 5-, 10- or 15-year survival rates between the patients of two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The tumors can be resected radically by corresponding surgery based on the extent of tracheal invasion. Postoperative (131)I therapy can enhance the survival rate of the patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma involving in trachea.