Tracheal cancer is a tumor in the trachea (windpipe) area that belongs to the so-called head and neck tumors. Tracheal cancer is a malignant tumor. The 5-year survival rate is about 5 percent.
What is tracheal cancer?
Tracheal carcinoma (also called tracheal cancer), or tracheal cancer, is a very rare type of tumor that falls into the category of head and neck tumors. Epidermoid tumors usually occur; subsequently, adenocarcinoma may form. Tracheal cancer is rarely a primary tumor; usually, tracheal cancer is a secondary tumor caused by a preexisting cancer (disseminated).
Causes
Tracheal carcinoma can develop from a variety of causes. Smokers, in particular, are at risk for developing it. Tobacco and carcinogenic ingredients promote the development of tracheal cancer, researchers say. Excessive consumption of high-proof alcohol can also be a trigger. Other harmful substances include car exhaust fumes, asbestos, radioactive substances and arsenic.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
There is usually no primary tumor involved, so tracheal cancer often results from the spread of another tumor. The clinical complaints that occur as part of the cancer are varied and diverse. On the one hand, patients complain of frequent coughing, and on the other hand of bloody sputum or sluggishness when breathing. Furthermore, the tumor can have an impact on voice production and cause swallowing difficulties. Patients usually lose weight, have recurrent fever and are often tired. Furthermore, affected individuals suffer from nausea and loss of appetite; sometimes patients complain of skin lesions and severe itching.
Diagnosis and course of the disease
Diagnosis plays an essential role – especially for therapy. The tumor must be determined for its histologic type, size, and also spread. At the outset, the physician seeks discussion with the patient and obtains information about previous cancer cases. Subsequently, the pharynx, nasal cavity, oral cavity and larynx are examined. Blood tests and X-rays follow, and these are performed in two planes – front and side. To be sure whether there is a tumor or not, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a computer tomography (CT) are also ordered, so that there is a better representation of the soft tissues. The sputum is also examined; this allows the physician to determine whether infectious changes or existing inflammations are present. If tracheal cancer is suspected, endoscopic procedures – such as bronchoscopy – are performed. At the end, the physician should know how large the tumor is and whether it has already spread. In the case of cancer, the so-called five-year survival rate (“5-YR”) is used. This is a prognostic value. Patients who have lung cancer and have metastases in the trachea, so that tracheal cancer has occurred, have a five-year survival rate of just five percent. Of course, the stage and extent of the tumor also play a significant role. Prognoses improve if the tumor is diagnosed at an early stage of disease.
Complications
A disease as serious as tracheal cancer is associated with various complications. Many affected people suffer severe restrictions in terms of daily food intake. In particularly bad cases, those with tracheal cancer may even need to be artificially fed. This complication, in turn, triggers another circumstance. Many people suffering from tracheal cancer therefore have problems with severe underweight. Generally speaking, when it comes to the serious disease of tracheal cancer, medical treatment is mandatory. The chances of survival without treatment are close to zero. Nevertheless, severe and even minor complications cannot be avoided with medical and drug treatment. Pain when eating is pre-programmed and also numerous side effects, which can be caused by the permanent intake of various drugs.The side effects just mentioned include permanent headaches, nausea, vomiting, increased temperature or even pain in the limbs. In general, various complications are unfortunately unavoidable in the case of tracheal cancer. However, if you consult a doctor when various complications occur, you can alleviate the existing complications or even partially eliminate and eliminate them completely.
When should you go to the doctor?
Of course, tracheal cancer must be treated by a doctor and medication. Otherwise, the affected person faces certain death. Crucial to a full recovery is the time of diagnosis. The earlier tracheal cancer is diagnosed, the better and more effectively appropriate treatment can be initiated. For this reason, initial signs and symptoms should not be trivialized. The visit to the doctor must be mandatory and prompt, so that the cancer can be diagnosed and treated at an early stage. However, even with early diagnosis, there is no guarantee of a complete cure. Affected individuals in whom the tracheal cancer is already in an advanced stage can often only have their symptoms alleviated. Anyone who completely forgoes a visit to the doctor at this point must expect a significant worsening of symptoms. The pain increases considerably, so that the affected person will be very severely restricted in his or her entire daily life. For this reason, the following applies: Tracheal cancer must in any case be treated by a doctor or even as an inpatient. Otherwise, the chances of recovery are very poor, so that in the worst case even death can occur.
Treatment and therapy
Therapies are decidedly extensive and interdisciplinary. This means that physicians from various fields – such as surgery, internal medicine, cancer medicine, and even psychotherapy – are called in to provide the best possible treatment and care down the line. Which therapy is ultimately carried out depends, of course, on the type and size of the tumor. In addition, it must be determined at what stage the tumor is, whether other cancers are already present or whether the tracheal tumor has already spread. At the beginning, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy are recommended. In many cases there is metastasis – i.e. the cancer cells have spread – so that only rarely does surgery bring the desired success. As a rule, physicians therefore deal with the palliative care of the patient. On the one hand, the patient’s pain should be relieved, while on the other hand, care is taken to improve or at least maintain the patient’s quality of life. The doctors strive to keep the airways open so that the patient does not experience shortness of breath or breathing problems. In order to ensure that the airways remain open, the tumor is reduced in size surgically – with a laser. In a few cases, if it is no longer possible to reduce the size of the tumor, a tracheotomy is necessary. Chemotherapies naturally have side effects, so patients can suffer from ANE syndrome. This involves loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting (anorexia, nausea and vomiting). Patients are treated in such a way that side effects are kept to a minimum; mainly there are drugs against nausea and painkillers. It is important that the patient also receives psychotherapeutic support. Since the disease provides an extreme amount of stress and many patients cannot handle the pressure, they therefore need encouragement and support in daily life.
Outlook and prognosis
The prognosis for tracheal cancer is tied to the stage of the disease at diagnosis as well as the start of treatment. If the cancer is advanced, the prospects for recovery deteriorate immensely. If no therapy is taken up, the disease ends with the premature death of the affected person. The cancer cells can spread unhindered in the organism and are transported via the bloodstream to other parts of the body. There, metastases are formed until there is ultimately no longer any chance of cure. The treatment options for tracheal cancer are associated with numerous side effects and risks. An impairment of the quality of life takes place in the long term. Nevertheless, it is the only way to achieve relief from existing symptoms.The sooner the start of therapy can take place and the better the general health of the affected person, the more optimistic the prognosis. Surgery is often performed and a tracheotomy is the only option for relief. Due to the stress of the disease as well as the therapy, secondary health disorders may occur. These further worsen the prognosis. Patients who have successfully survived tracheal cancer may suffer the cancer again later in life. In most cases, the prognosis is worsened upon recurrence because overall the organism is weakened.
Prevention
If the physician diagnoses tracheal cancer, it may be a primary or secondary tumor. Usually, tracheal cancer is the result of a preexisting tumor (lung cancer). Since tracheal cancer is promoted by excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption and by various substances (aspect, arsenic and the like), such products should be avoided.
Aftercare
After the actual cancer treatment, sufferers require ongoing care. In addition to regular medical examinations and the use of further therapies, this also includes a change in lifestyle for aftercare. This includes regular exercise and a balanced diet, whereby physical exertion should be resumed cautiously. Especially in the case of tracheal cancer, it can take a long time to regain the quality of life to which patients are accustomed. The support of the relevant doctors as well as acquaintances and friends is also important in coming to terms with the disease. The general practitioner can consult cancer counseling centers, psychooncologists and socio-legal contacts. Attending a self-help group is also an important part of aftercare. Depending on the type of cancer, nutritionists, sports groups and other instances may also need to be consulted. The aftercare plan is drawn up together with the doctor and is based on the severity of the symptoms, the general course of the disease and the prognosis. In the first phase, when patients are still coping with the consequences of the disease and treatment, aftercare is particularly important. This includes support from family and friends, which can also prevent the development of psychological upsets. It is crucial to support patients until remission is achieved. The risk of relapse decreases annually. The rule of thumb is five years, although again the type of cancer is critical. Medical rehabilitation also includes taking anti-hormones and other medications, if necessary. In cases of protracted disease, progress monitoring and follow-up care merge.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Nutrition is of particular importance in the treatment of tracheal cancer, as the tumor often causes severe difficulty in swallowing and makes it difficult to eat. Patients should therefore consult a nutritionist, preferably before treatment begins, to help stabilize their weight. If the swallowing difficulties are the reason for malnutrition or malnutrition, it is often necessary to switch to tube feeding. This requires a minor surgical procedure in which a tube is placed from the abdominal wall into the stomach. Although the procedure is largely harmless, many patients find it uncomfortable. Provided the swallowing difficulties still allow liquid food to be absorbed through the gullet, sufferers can have a nutritionist make up recipes for porridge and smoothies. The smoothies are very tasty and consist of finely ground nuts and seeds, which provide a lot of energy, as well as green vegetables and high-quality linseed oil. Usually a nutritional supplement is added to prevent vitamin or mineral deficiencies. In addition to nutrition, the psyche also plays a major role. For many patients, the diagnosis of cancer is initially a shock that they have to come to terms with. Membership in a self-help group can help them to do this. However, patients should not be afraid to seek the help of a psychotherapist if they feel a strong psychological burden.