title: Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura (SFTP) is a rare neoplasm of the pleura. Although an increasing number of case series have been reported in recent years, so far clinical behavior is still unpredictable. The following article presents a detailed review of the recent larger series of SFTP with particular attention to the clinical presentation, pathologic characteristics and surgical features in order to define more precisely the long-term outcome after treatment of this rare entity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Usually, after a complete surgical resection a very long survival could be expected in almost all cases. However, the preoperative detection and management of malignant SFTPs are still challenging issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SFTP remains an enigmatic tumor. Clinical and radiological assessment is often unsatisfactory to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Benign SFTPs are almost always cured with complete surgical resection, and in cases of recurrence the re-do resection of benign recurrences is usually curative. Long-term survivals are also possible for malignant SFTPs, although a higher recurrence rate and higher tumor-related mortality can be expected in these cases. Histologic characteristics distinguishing benign from malignant variants are crucial in estimating the risk of recurrence and planning adjuvant therapies.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Thoracic Surgery, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy. gcardillo@scamilloforlanini.rm.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardillo
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lococo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carleo
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D018218:Neoplasms, Fibrous Tissue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D054363:Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome