[Surgical treatment of primary chest wall tumor]

BACKGROUND: Primary chest wall tumors are uncommon and there is limited information in the literature regarding treatment strategies for these tumors.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 14 patients who were referred for surgical resection for a primary chest wall tumor.

RESULTS: Except for neurogenic tumors, 14 primary chest wall tumors were resected among 3,260 surgical cases during a 13-year period in our institution. Complete resection was attempted for all 14 patients;8 had benign tumors and 6 had malignant tumors. Tumor pathology was extremely varied as they arose from all anatomic structures of the chest wall. Chest wall reconstruction was performed for 7 patients;2 patients underwent an additional extended resection because their tumors were diagnosed as malignant during or after surgery;and only 1 patient with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor died of recurrence after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: The data and results for primary chest tumors are limited due to the uncommon nature of this entity and the extremely variable histology. In general, a preoperative diagnosis is difficult and a definitive diagnosis can only be made during or after surgery. Wide radical resection of these tumors should be attempted, particularly if malignancy is diagnosed.