A case of tracheal pleomorphic adenoma misdiagnosed as asthma

Abstract

A 51-year-old woman had an incidental finding of a tracheal tumor during oesophagogastroduodenoscopy following the diagnosis of asthma for 2 months. A computed tomography scan revealed a 15-mm tumor in the subglottis. Endoscopic resection was performed safely, and pleomorphic adenoma was diagnosed histologically. The patient’s condition was satisfactory 30 months after the procedure. Tracheal pleomorphic adenoma is rare and may be misdiagnosed as asthma. If the tumor is large, surgery may be required; however, endoscopic polypectomy may be effective if the tumor is small. Therefore, early diagnosis of tracheal pleomorphic adenoma is important. At the first visit, the flow–volume curve suggested upper airway obstruction, which should have raised the suspicion of an upper airway obstruction. In patients with suspected asthma, early pulmonary function testing is needed to substantiate asthma diagnosis and prevent an alternative diagnosis being missed.