title: Fatal primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumour initially diagnosed as malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: A patient with a missed diagnosis of a primary mediastinal germ cell tumour is reported. The initial diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was not compatible with the clinical course. The true diagnosis was reached after the patient had completed a course of palliative irradiation following the development of superior vena cava obstruction. He succumbed to a massive haemoptysis before chemotherapy could begin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lavery
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D018237:Germinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000209:etiology