Management of primary chest wall tumors: 14 years' clinical experience

Malignant Chest Wall Tumors: Complex Defects and Their Management-A Review of 181 Cases

BACKGROUND

Chest wall tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors that are managed by surgeons from diverse specialties. Due to their rarity, there is no consensus on their diagnosis and management.

MATERIALS

This retrospective, descriptive analysis includes patients with malignant chest wall tumors undergoing chest wall resection. Tumors were classified as primary, secondary, and metastatic tumors. The analysis includes clinicopathological characteristics, resection-reconstruction profile, and relapse patterns.

RESULTS

A total of 181 patients underwent chest wall resection between 1999 and 2020. In primary tumors (69%), the majority were soft tissue tumors (59%). In secondary tumors, the majority were from the breast (45%) and lung (42%). Twenty-five percent of patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 98% of patients underwent R0 resection. Soft tissue, skeletal + soft tissue, and extended resections were performed in 45%, 70%, and 28% of patients, respectively. The majority of patients (60%) underwent rib resections, and a median of 3.5 ribs were resected. The mean defect size was 24 cm2. Soft tissue reconstruction was performed in 40% of patients, mostly with latissimus dorsi flaps. Rigid reconstruction was performed in 57% of patients, and 18% underwent mesh-bone cement sandwich technique reconstruction. Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were given to 29% and 39% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This is one of the largest single-institutional experiences on malignant chest wall tumors. The results highlight varied tumor spectra and multimodality approaches for optimal functional and survival outcomes. In limited resource setting, surgery, including reconstructive expertise, is very crucial.

Analysis of the Chest Wall Reconstruction Methods after Malignant Tumor Resection

Background  The chest wall defects can be caused by various reasons. In the case of malignant tumor resection of the chest wall, it is essential to reconstruct the chest wall to cover the vital tissue and restore the pulmonary function with prevention of paradoxical motion. With our experience, we analyzed and evaluated the results and complications of the chest wall reconstructions followed by malignant tumor resection. Methods  From 2013 to 2022, we reviewed a medical record of patients who received chest reconstruction due to chest wall malignant tumor resection. The following data were retrieved: patients' demographic data, tumor type, type of operation, method of chest wall reconstruction of the soft and skeletal tissue and complications. Results  There were seven males and six female patients. The causes of reconstruction were 12 primary tumors and one metastatic carcinoma. The pathological types were seven sarcomas, three invasive breast carcinoma, and three squamous cell carcinomas. The skeletal reconstruction was performed in six patients. The series of the flap were eight pedicled latissimus dorsi (LD) myocutaneous flaps, two pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, two vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous free flap, and one LD free flap. Among all the cases, only one staged reconstruction and successful reconstruction without flail chest. Most of the complications were atelectasis. Conclusion  In the case of accompanying multiple ribs and sternal defect, skeletal reconstruction would need skeletal reconstruction to prevent paradoxical chest wall motion. The flap for soft tissue defect be selected according to defect size and location of chest wall. With our experience, we recommend the reconstruction algorithm for chest wall defect due to malignant tumor resection.

Radiographic findings useful for diagnosis of primary chest wall lymphoma without preceding pleural disease: A case report

A 70-year-old man with no history of pleural diseases had a dumbbell-shaped chest wall mass extending from the thoracic cavity to the spinal canal at the intervertebral foramen without bone destruction. Computed tomography revealed a positive a 'pleural sandwich sign', where the intercostal artery was enveloped by the mass. A high maximum standard uptake value was noted on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. No lesions were found in areas other than the chest wall. CT-guided biopsy was performed and he was diagnosed with primary chest wall lymphoma. This case report suggests that these radiographic findings may be helpful for diagnosing chest wall lymphomas even in patients without prior pleural disease.

Benign rib tumors: a case series from tertiary care Centre of Nepal and review of literature

Rib tumors are rare. They can present with wide varieties of symptoms and differentiating benign from malignant lesions is challenging. A careful history and supporting investigations can help to reach the definite diagnosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice with excellent prognosis. A total of four patients were operated for the management of rib tumors over a period of 5 years at our institution. All four were benign lesions and included simple bone cyst, fibrous dysplasia with aneurysmal bone cyst, aneurysmal bone cyst and enchondroma. There were three male and one female. None of them is having recurrence till now. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for benign rib tumors as it provides diagnostic and curative treatment.

[Surgical treatment of chest wall tumors]

The term chest wall tumor summarizes a heterogeneous group of malignant and benign tumors, whereby primary and secondary chest wall tumors are differentiated. The incidence of secondary chest wall tumors is higher than that of primary tumors. Primary chest wall tumors can arise from any anatomic structure of the chest wall. Surgical resection is usually the treatment of choice. Resection status and tumor differentiation are relevant prognostic factors. Treatment of secondary chest wall tumors is performed depending on the patient's symptoms and prognosis of the underlying disease. Lung carcinomas infiltrating the chest wall can be resected primarily or secondarily as part of multimodal therapeutic strategies. Anatomic lung resections combined with chest wall resection have a higher mortality than standard resections. Chest wall reconstruction after resection has the goal of reducing paradoxical respiratory motion, although not every chest wall defect requires reconstruction.

Overall survival and tumor recurrence after surgical resection for primary malignant chest wall tumors: a single-center, single-surgeon experience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Malignant primary chest wall tumors (PCWTs) comprise a rare group of thoracic tumors with unique anatomical considerations, and experience with wide surgical resection is limited to specialty referral centers and specific diagnoses. We investigated the tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) for patients with a variety of PCWTs diagnoses at our institution.

METHODS

From 1991 to 2010, patients with malignant PCWT undergoing wide surgical resection for curative intent under a single surgeon were reviewed. Diagnosis and grade (if applicable) of surgical pathology, along with patient demographics, neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and outcomes (complications, recurrence, and OS) at follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred fifteen patients were included in the study. The most common tumor diagnoses included pleomorphic sarcoma and liposarcoma. Negative margins were achieved in 70 (74%) of cases. Postoperative complications were reported in 21 (20%) cases. The 5-year survival rate was 54%, while the 10-year survival rate was 29%. The local and distant recurrence rates were 50% and 38%, respectively. OS was significantly less in patients with any recurrence ( p < 0.001) but not significantly different between pathology grades ( p = 0.28).

CONCLUSIONS

Wide resection for malignant PCWT is feasible when undertaken for a heterogenous group of diagnoses.

[Benign primitive schwannoma of the pleura]

Le schwannome est une tumeur neurogène développée à partir des cellules de Schwann. Dans la région thoracique, le médiastin est le principal site d'apparition du schwannome. Le plus souvent, il s'agit d'une lésion solitaire et la localisation pleurale est extrêmement rare. Nous rapportons un cas de schwannome pleural bénin primitif chez une femme âgée de 44 ans chez qui la lésion a été découverte suite à la réalisation d'un bilan radiologique pour une douleur thoracique et une dyspnée. Le patient a eu résection chirurgicale complète de cette tumeur sous vidéo thoracoscopie. L'étude anatomopathologique a conclu à un schwannome bénin primitif de la plèvre.

Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Treatment for Primary Chest Wall Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Background

This study investigated the clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of primary chest wall soft tissue sarcoma (CW-STS).

Methods

Thirty-one patients who underwent surgery for CW-STS between 2000 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The disease-free and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

The median follow-up duration was 65.6 months. The most common histologic type of tumor was malignant fibrous histiocytoma (29%). The resection extended to the soft tissue in 14 patients, while it reached full thickness in 17 patients. Complete resection was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%). There were 5 cases of local recurrence, 3 cases of distant metastasis, and 5 cases of combined recurrence. The 5-year disease-free rate was 49%. Univariate analysis indicated that incomplete resection (p<0.001) and stage (p=0.062) were possible risk factors for recurrence. Multivariate analysis determined that incomplete resection (p=0.013) and stage (p=0.05) were significantly associated with recurrence. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 86.8% and 64.3%, respectively. No prognostic factor for survival was identified.

Conclusion

Long-term primary CW-STS surgery outcomes were found to be favorable. Incomplete microscopic resection and stage were risk factors for recurrence.

Predictors of survival after resection of primary sarcomas of the chest wall-A large, single-institution series

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chest wall sarcomas are rare and may demonstrate heterogeneous features. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy used as adjuncts. Herein, we report outcomes of a large cohort of patients with primary chest wall sarcoma who underwent resection.

METHODS

Records of 121 patients who underwent resection for primary chest wall sarcoma between 1998 and 2013 were reviewed. A thoracic pathologist reexamined all tumors and categorized them according to grade. Univariable and multivariable Cox analyses were conducted to identify predictors of overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The median age was 45.0 (range, 11-81) years, and most tumors (63.6%, 77) were high grade. The median tumor size was 7 cm (range, 1-21 cm). Fifty-nine (48.8%) patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 12 (9.9%) received neoadjuvant radiotherapy. A complete resection was achieved in 103 (85.1%) patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.532) and radiation ( P = 1.000) were not associated with a complete resection. Five-year OS among patients undergoing R0 and R1 resections was 61.9% and 27.8%, respectively. Multivariable analysis identified high grade (HR, 15.21; CI, 3.57-64.87; P < 0.001), R1 (HR, 3.10; CI, 1.40-6.86; P = 0.005), R2 resection (HR, 5.18; CI, 1.91-14.01; P = 0.001), and age (HR, 1.02; CI, 1.01-1.03; P = 0.002) as predictors of OS.

CONCLUSIONS

In this series of resected chest wall sarcomas, complete resection and tumor grade remain the most important survival predictors. Individual decisions are required for the utilization of neoadjuvant therapy.

Contributing factors to the outcome of primary malignant chest wall tumors

Background

Primary malignant chest-wall tumors (PMCWTs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors. They require a special experience in designing resection and reconstruction. They account for less than 1% of all primary malignant tumors. This study is designed to clarify different factors contributing to the outcome of patients with PMCWTs in our institution.

Methods

A retrospective study included 98 patients with pathology proven PMCWTs, treated at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University, Egypt, during the past 10 years. Used variables were: age, sex, forced expiratory volume in the 1^st second (FEV1), site, size, multiplicity, pathologic subtype, tumor grade, safety margin (SM), excised ribs, complications, estimated blood loss (EBL), neo-adjuvant and adjuvant treatments, Overall and disease free survival (DFS) were obtained using Kaplan-Meier method and compared using Log rank test. Cox regression was used to identify DFS predictors.

Results

PMCWTs represented 10.5% of all thoracic malignancies in our institution. There were 51 females (52%). The median age was 39 years [interquartile range (IQR) =25-52.3)] years. Chondrosarcoma was the commonest tumor histology (20.4%). The median tumor size was 8 cm (IQR =5-14). Tumor multiplicity was found in 18.4% of patients. Bone resection was performed in 76 patients (78.3%), ribs resection was performed in 59 patients and the median number of resected ribs per patient was 3 (IQR =1-3) ribs. Sternal resection was done in 7 (7.1%) cases. R0 resection was achieved in 62.2% of patients. There was one operative related mortality (1.02%) and 17.3% patients suffered procedure related complications. Local recurrence developed in 35 (35.7%) patients. The overall survival (OS) at 1, 3 and 5 years was 73.9%, 45.6% and 34.6% respectively and the median OS was 33 months (95% CI, 21.8-44.2), while median DFS was 24 months (95% CI, 19.6-28.4). Predictors of better DFS were -ve SM (P<0.001), tumors <5 cm (P=0.039), low grade (P=0.033), lower EBL (P=0.003) and absence of adjuvant therapy (P=0.007); however, on multivariate analysis, only -ve SM was the only predictor (HR =0.54; 95% CI, 0.29-0.97, P=0.041).

Conclusions

In primary malignant CWTs (PMCWTs) achievement of wide resection margins is of great importance to minimize the local tumor recurrence that will have an adverse impact on long-term survival.

Mini review: surgical management of primary chest wall tumors

Primary chest wall tumors (PCWTs) are relatively rare entities, and their clinical characteristics as well as appropriate treatments are not fully known. Previously reported studies, including ours, are reviewed here, taking into account the clinical approach and findings in Japan for the diagnosis, distribution of histological types, surgical procedures, and prognosis of these entities. Surgery for PCWTs comprised that approximately 0.7 % of surgeries in 2012 in Japan and 28.3 % of PCWTs were malignant with an extremely low rate of mortality within 30 days from surgery. Surgical biopsy is recommended for the differential diagnosis of chest wall tumors to determine if they are primary, metastatic, benign, or malignant lesions. Of the 297 PCWT cases reported in nine published studies, neurogenic tumors were the most common benign PCWT, and chondrosarcoma was the most common malignant PCWT. Reconstruction of the resected chest wall was performed for 41.3 % of cases, and the materials used were e-PTFE or polypropylene. The prognosis of patients with benign tumors is usually good if complete resection is achieved; however, the 5-year recurrence rate and disease-related mortality were approximately 22.5 and 18.1 %, respectively, for patients with malignant tumors. Surgery for PCWTs is safe; however, surgical treatment for patients with malignant PCWTs remains challenging, and multimodal treatments for each histological tumor type should be considered.

Important considerations in chest wall reconstruction

Chest wall reconstruction represents one of the most challenging tasks in plastic surgery. Over the past several decades, a more profound understanding of surgical anatomy and physiology along with tremendous advances in surgical technique have resulted in substantial improvements in postoperative outcomes. Conceptually, the reconstructive goals include dead space obliteration, restoration of skeletal stability with protection of intrathoracic structures, and stable soft tissue coverage. Ideally, these goals are achieved with minimal aesthetic deformity. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:913-922. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chest wall tumors: Diagnosis, treatment and reconstruction

The aim of the present study was to determine a suitable procedure for the treatment of chest wall neoplasms with less potential risk and an increased rate of survival. Fifty patients with suspected chest wall malignancies were analyzed using various preliminary investigation tools. Whole-chest scanning was performed in all the patients. The patients were subsequently subjected to biopsies for further confirmation of the neoplasm. All such patients were then treated with a surgical approach and radiation therapy, with a follow-up period lasting up to six years. The majority of the patients showed improved survival rates relative to conventional therapies. The survival rates of patients suffering from osteosarcoma (78%) were higher those of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (73%) and malignant small round cell tumors (64%). The survival and the mortality rates of the patients with synovial sarcoma and fibrosarcoma were the same. This study, which was conducted on a small group of patients, has provided guidance for further studies on tumors of the chest wall, which may, in turn, increase the longevity of affected patients.

Rib tumors: a 15-year experience

OBJECTIVE

A retrospective study of rib tumors was conducted to review their clinical, radiological, and pathological features, the difficulties in differentiating benign from malignant tumors, as well as the early and long-term results of surgical management.

METHODS

All patients with rib lesions evaluated by the Thoracic Surgery Department from 1998 to 2012 were studied. The patient's age, sex, symptoms, radiologic evaluation, surgical procedure, pathologic diagnosis and follow-up were assessed.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients (81 male, 10 female, age range 16-80) with rib tumors underwent surgery in a period of 15 years (1998-2012). 64 patients (70.33 %) had benign lesions and 27 patients (29.67 %) had malignant tumors. In the group with malignant tumors, the main symptom was pain, and in the group with benign tumors the main symptom was swelling. Ten patients with benign rib tumor and two with malignant tumor were detected during routine chest radiograph. All patients were treated surgically with wide excision of the tumor and the diagnosis was established histologically. In the benign cohort, osteochondromas, fibrous dysplasia, enchondroma, eosinophilic granuloma and posttraumatic fibro-osseous lesion/dysplasia were among the most customary diagnoses. In the malignant cohort, 13 patients (48.15 %) had metastatic lesions, with the remaining 14 patients having primary malignant rib tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Although radiographic imaging has evolved, all rib lesions must be considered as potentially malignant until proven otherwise. Prompt intervention is necessary and surgery must consist of wide resection with tumor-free margins to provide the best chance for cure in both benign and malignant lesions.

Primary pleural benign myxoid schwannoma in an 18-year-old female: a case report and literature review

Pleural schwannomas are exceedingly rare neoplasms of the thoracic cavity. To the best of our knowledge, less than 20 cases have been reported in the medical English literature. Herein, we report the case of primary pleural benign myxoid schwannoma in an 18-year-old female. The patient was originally referred to our tertiary care hospital for further management of right adrenal gland mass. Physical examination and all laboratory tests were normal. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan showed a 4.2 × 3.2 cm, heterogeneous noncalcified mass involving the right adrenal gland region. The right renal vein and inferior vena cava were intact. There was no pleural effusion, ascites, or lymphadenopathy. No pelvic masses were identified. Patient was scheduled for surgical resection. On laparotomy, the mass was not found in its radiologically expected location, and the right kidney and right adrenal gland were intact. The right-sided lower part of diaphragm was opened, and the mass was interestingly found inside the thorax attached to the pleura, and resected successfully. A final histopathological diagnosis of primary pleural benign myxoid schwannoma was established. At a postoperative 6-month followup, there was no radiological evidence of tumor recurrence. Furthermore, literature review on pleural schwannomas is also presented.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for treatment of sarcoma cancer pain

SUMMARY Background: Pain is often the initial presenting symptom with sarcomas. Upon resection of a sarcoma, most patients experience a resolution of their pain. However, in those patients with continued pain, treatment often requires multiple medications with moderate benefit. Aims: The authors present eight patients who suffer from continued sarcoma-related pain following resection of their initial cancer. Methods: For each patient, we describe the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the treatment of sarcoma-related pain. Each patient was brought to the pain clinic for an initial four-lead trial of TENS lasting 30 min to determine the TENS setting that provided greatest pain relief. Patients were educated about the application and use of their TENS unit, which they self-utilized at home. Patients’ pain response was monitored prior to the initial TENS trial and after 2 months of TENS use. Results: Seven out of eight patients had a qualitative or quantitative reduction in their sarcoma-related pain. Three out of the seven patients demonstrated clinically significant (>30%) pain relief, while the other four patients demonstrated increased physical functionality and pain relief, during movement and rest. No patients experienced any adverse effects; however, TENS was stopped in one patient who had a beneficial response to TENS as that patient was found to have recurrent, widespread metastases of her sarcoma. Conclusion: Initial results indicate that TENS provides an easy-to-use, inexpensive therapeutic tool that can be used an adjunct in the treatment of sarcoma-related cancer pain. Future studies consisting of a large, randomized trial will be necessary to validate the efficacy of TENS in this patient population.

An unusual cause of precordial chest pain

Extraskeletal chondrosarcoma in anterior mediastinum is very rare. A 45-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital with precordial chest pain. A large and well-shaped mass in the anterior mediastinum was seen radiologically, and there was a clearly compression of the heart by the mass. The lesion was totally resected, and extraskeletal mediastinal chondrosarcoma was histopathologically diagnosed. We aimed to present and discuss the radiologic, clinic, and histopathologic features of unusual presentation of extraskeletal chondrosarcoma in a case.

Reconstruction of chest wall using a two-layer prolene mesh and bone cement sandwich

Wide surgical resection is the most effective treatment for the vast majority of chest wall tumors. This study evaluated the clinical success of chest wall reconstruction using a Prolene mesh and bone cement prosthetic sandwich. The records of all patients undergoing chest wall resection and reconstruction were reviewed. Surgical indications, the location and size of the chest wall defect, diaphragm resection, pulmonary performance, postoperative complications, and survival of each patient were recorded. From 1998 to 2008, 43 patients (27 male, 16 female; mean age of 48 years) underwent surgery in our department to treat malignant chest wall tumors: chondrosarcoma (23), osteosarcoma (8), spindle cell sarcoma (6), Ewing's sarcoma (2), and others (4). Nine sternectomies and 34 antero-lateral and postero-lateral chest wall resections were performed. Postoperatively, nine patients experienced respiratory complications, and one patient died because of respiratory failure. The overall 4-year survival rate was 60 %. Chest wall reconstruction using a Prolene mesh and bone cement prosthetic sandwich is a safe and effective surgical procedure for major chest wall defects.

Clinical and CT manifestation of pleural schwannoma

BACKGROUND

A schwannoma arising from the pleura is rare. The computer tomography (CT) features, however, have seldom been disclosed in the English literature.

PURPOSE

To retrospectively assess the role of CT in the diagnosis of pleural schwannomas.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eleven patients with pathologically confirmed pleural schwannomas were included in the study. CT images and clinical data were analyzed. The CT features emphasized included the location of the neoplasm, as well as its diameter, origin, margin, shape, attenuation, enhancement pattern, and extent and invasion into adjacent structures, all of which were observed and recorded.

RESULTS

Seven patients were men, while four were women; patients were aged 21-60 years, with a mean age of 45 years. Most cases were incidentally detected. Seven cases involved neoplasms located in the right hemithorax whereas four cases involved neoplasms in the left hemithorax. The mean tumor diameter was 4.4 cm (range, 2.3-6.4 cm). All of the tumors were solitary and well-defined ovoid (n = 7) or round (n = 4) in shape. The schwannomas showed isoattenuation (four cases) or mild hypoattenuation (seven cases) to the chest wall muscle on unenhanced CT. All cases showed minimal enhancement on contrast-medium-enhanced CT. Two bony erosions of the rib were also observed.

CONCLUSION

CT findings may suggest the diagnosis of pleural schwannoma preoperatively. Pleural schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of solid, solitary, and well-defined pleural tumors.

Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with chest wall involvement: a case series

Chest wall tumors in the pediatric population can have a variety of etiologies, malignancy being the most worrisome. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) rarely presents as a chest wall mass in the pediatric population. In this report, we describe 3 male pediatric patients, all of whom had chest wall masses present at the initial diagnosis of HL. We also discuss the literature on this topic. We conclude that malignancy and, more specifically, HL should always be considered when evaluating a pediatric patient who presents with a chest wall mass.

Primary chest wall tumors

The differential diagnosis of chest wall tumors is diverse, including both benign and malignant lesions (primary and malignant), local extension of adjacent disease, and local manifestations of infectious and inflammatory processes. Primary chest wall tumors are best classified by their primary component: soft tissue or bone. Work-up consists of a thorough history, physical examination and imaging to best assess location, size, composition, association with surrounding structures, and evidence of any soft tissue component. Biopsies are often required, especially for soft tissue masses. Treatment depends on histological subtype and location, but may include chemotherapy and radiotherapy in addition to surgical resection.

Tumors of the mediastinum and chest wall

Primary tumors of the mediastinum and chest wall comprise a diverse group of conditions with a wide range of presentations. A thorough knowledge of thoracic anatomy is essential for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Given their proximity to critical structures, treatment of these tumors is often challenging. Although surgery is the mainstay of therapy for most mediastinal and chest wall tumors, a multidisciplinary approach is valuable in many cases.

Self-limiting sternal tumors of childhood (SELSTOC)

BACKGROUND

Because a sternal mass is often alarming, it is important to identify the clinical features of benign processes.

PROCEDURE

Data on clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment and outcome of pediatric patients presenting with a sternal tumor between 2001 and 2009 were collected from medical records.

RESULTS

Among the 1,700 children who were referred to our pediatric-oncology center, 14 presented with a rapidly growing sternal mass. All patients (10 males) were Caucasian and median age was 16 (range: 7-50) months. Reported symptoms were local pain (n = 7) and/or raised body temperature (n = 5). No major preceding traumas were reported. Physical examination revealed solid tumors with a median diameter of 3 (range: 1-4.5) cm in a pre-sternal/para-sternal location. Half of the patients showed red/blue discoloration of the skin. On radiology, dumbbell-shaped lesions extended to the area behind the sternal bone, involving the cartilage, leading to increased distance between ossification centers. Histopathology at diagnosis was available from five patients and showed aspecific chronic or acute inflammation (n = 4) and a reactive osteochondromatous lesion (n = 1). Laboratory infection parameters were not/only slightly raised and microbiologic cultures were negative in all patients. All tumors decreased in size within 1 month, in both patients with and without antibiotics. On physical examination the tumors disappeared within 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reports 14 young children with a rapidly growing sternal mass due to aseptic inflammation, that we named self-limiting sternal tumor of childhood (SELSTOC). To prevent invasive diagnostic interventions and unnecessary treatment, we advocate a wait-and-see approach with close follow-up in the first weeks.

Localized malignant pleural mesothelioma showing a thoracic mass and metastasizing to the stomach

Malignant mesothelioma typically shows either diffuse tumors or multiple pleura-based nodules. Localized malignant mesothelioma is rare. In this case report, a 70-year-old man with left chest wall tumor underwent tumor resection, and the lesion was pathologically diagnosed as biphasic malignant mesothelioma. Tumor recurrence was detected in the stomach due to vomiting of blood, and also spread to the mediastinal lymph node, and bone 3 months postoperatively. Total gastrectomy was performed and the histopathological diagnosis of metastasis of mesothelioma was made. In the previously reported cases, all of the localized malignant mesothelioma arose in the pleural space and there was no metastasis of localized malignant mesothelioma to the stomach. In the present case, gross and histological examinations were performed for both the primary lesion and gastric metastatic tumor. Though it was very difficult to distinguish mesothelioma from sarcoma and other chest wall tumors, immunochemical staining was able to facilitate making the diagnosis. This case suggests that localized malignant mesothelioma is capable of showing multiple forms and a variety of clinical courses. Localized malignant mesothelioma can arise primarily from the chest wall.

Osseous Hodgkin's lymphoma-review of literature and report of an unusual case presenting as a large ulcerofungating sternal mass

Osseous involvement in Hodgkin's lymphoma is uncommon. The most common location is vertebral, primarily in the thoracolumbar region, followed by pelvis, ribs, femur, sternum, clavicle and skull in decreasing incidence. We herein illustrate the salient features of the disease citing a case of a disseminated Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting as a large ulcerofungating sternal mass mimicking chronic tubercular osteomyelitis. The case report highlights the importance of clinical suspicion of unusual presentation of lymphohematopoietic tumors of the bone especially in developing countries, where chronic granulomatous disease is preponderant.

Primary chest wall lymphoma with no history of tuberculous pyothorax: diagnosis and treatment

OBJECTIVE

Primary chest wall neoplasm represents only 5% of chest wall neoplasm and among them primary chest wall lymphoma is uncommon.

METHODS

A 28-year-old man had no history of tuberculous pyothorax or artificial pneumothorax therapy but did have a 4-month history of dyspnea, fever, chills, and night sweats. On physical examination, a mass about 10 x 10 cm was noted on the anterior chest wall on the right side, and computed tomographic scan demonstrated that it originated from the pleural wall. A 42-year-old man was admitted with intermittent left hemithoracic pain from about 6 months before his visit. A 5 x 5-cm tender mass in the posterior wall of the left hemithorax was palpated. Computed tomography showed mild plural effusion and erosion in the posterior segment of the left ninth rib. Surgery was performed for histologic diagnosis.

RESULTS

With the diagnosis of large B cell lymphoma, chemotherapy was prescribed for the first patient, and the patient has been in complete remission for more than 5 months. For the second patient, the left ninth rib along with the originated mass was completely resected and chemotherapy was prescribed. The patient has been in complete remission for more than 8 months.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of primary chest wall lymphoma was not clear and various treatment strategies were considered. Remission of considerable duration in our patients leads us to suggest that surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy can provide a reasonable outcome in patients in whom the chest wall lymphoma is the only site of disease.

Chest wall tumors in childhood and adolescence

Chest wall tumors in childhood and adolescence can be very heterogeneous and may appear at any age from infancy to late adolescence. They can be benign or malignant and secondary or primary. A careful history and physical examination should be followed by adequate imaging studies to delineate the primary tumor and identify possible sites of dissemination. Diagnosis usually requires either a needle or open biopsy which minimizes dissection so that a complete resection can be done later. Most neoplastic lesions require a complete resection, whereas secondary and infectious processes are treated with chemotherapy or antibiotics. Rigid chest wall re-construction has the advantage of eliminating paradoxical respiration and obviating the need for postoperative ventilation. Another advantage is maintenance of chest wall contour.