These photographs show a view of a lung cancer in the distal trachea (windpipe). The photographs were taken through a video bronchoscope. This tumor was not resectable and was partially obstructing the airway. The patient was coughing up blood which is a common symptom with lung cancer though most lung cancers have no symptoms. This tumor was treated with radiation therapy but the patient eventually died.
This is another cancer near the distal end of the trachea. The left tracheal wall is pushed flat by tumor outside of the airway (compare to the more rounded right tracheal wall). The tumor sub-totally occludes the distal trachea without much room left for air flow. The patient’s initial symptom was coughing up blood and chest pain. Treatment was radiation therapy and chemotherapy.