title: [Approach to tumors of the anterior mediastinum].
abstract: In a series of 580 tumours of the anterior mediastinum, after exclusion of 102 goiters, 242 tumours were surgically explored and 236 were first biopsied: 43 needle biopsies and 193 surgical biopsies; 25 biopsies had to be repeated with another technique. The rate of needle biopsies was 8.9% and the rate of surgical biopsies was 40.3%. The percentage of secondary tumour resections was 13.5% (32 on 236). The decision between primary resection and biopsy is based upon a combination of clinical, radiological and laboratory arguments. For more than half the tumours which develop in the anterior mediastinum, a definite tissue diagnosis must precede the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Calmette, Service de Chirurgie Générale et Thoracique, CHU, Lille.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardot
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
vernacular_title: Approache des tumeurs du médiastin antérieur.