Airway Tumors

Tumors and masses of the trachea and bronchi are very rare in children. At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a uniquely experienced multidisciplinary team including specialists in pulmonology, ENT, oncology, radiology, pathology and cardiothoracic surgery offers state-of-the-art approaches to minimally-invasive diagnosis and lung-sparing surgical treatments. The most common types of airway tumors in children are carcinoid tumors, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors and mucoepidermoid carcinomas. However, not all airway tumors are cancerous, and it is important to differentiate between true tumors and those caused by infections and inflammatory conditions before committing to surgery to remove the mass. Flexible and rigid bronchoscopy techniques allow for biopsy to determine the cause of the mass and sometimes even complete removal of certain types of tumors. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the most appropriate lung-sparing surgical options can be determined and targeted chemotherapy can be provided if necessary. This approach has led to very successful outcomes for our patients; tumor recurrence is rare.