title: Huge malignant localized fibrous tumor of the pleura.
abstract: Localized fibrous tumor is an unfrequent mesenchymal neoplasm. The malignant variant of the pleura is exceptional and differential diagnosis with the more frequent benign type or with other neoplasms such as soft tissue sarcoma and mesothelioma is rarely possible in a preoperative setting. The best treatment of this disease is radical surgical resection. No definitive data exist about the role of chemotherapy. We report a case of a giant right intrathoracic mass whose preoperative diagnosis, from an open biopsy, was consistent with sarcoma and, in a second review, with fibrous tumor of the pleura without any indication about malignancy. A right pleuropneumonectomy and pericardial resection was performed through a right hemiclam-shell approach. Histology demonstrated an aggressive behaviour: high mitosis rate, Ki 67 of 34% and diffuse necrosis were present. In consideration of the apparent local radicality we did not perform any adjuvant treatment. Six months after the operation a wide local recurrence was evident and a systemic treatment with Ifosfamide and Adriamicina is still in progress. So far a good response has been documented. Preoperative diagnosis of malignancy has an important role as a therapeutic strategy in management of fibrous tumours of the pleura. When there is suspicion of a malignant form neoadjuvant chemotherapy can represent a further tool to control poorly differentiated and large tumors, and a wide surgical resection of the lesion must be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spaggiari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzarol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Pas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pastorino
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005350:Fibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D007069:Ifosfamide