title: [Primary malignant tumors of the sternum].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary tumors of the sternum are rare and account only 0.5% of all primary bone tumors. They are often malignant, osteolytic and aggressive. They often present difficulties in management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to determine clinical, pathological and therapeutic characteristics for primary malignant tumors of the sternum.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a series of six cases of primary malignant tumors of the sternum, collected in our institution between 1993 and 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 4 men and 2 women with a mean age of 69, 5 years. Parietal swelling was the most frequent symptom. Imaging showed a sternal lytic lesion. Three tumors were treated surgically. Associated treatments were neoadjuvant chemotherapy (1 case) and postoperative radiotherapy (1 case). A medical treatment (radiotherapy alone or chemotherapy) was performed in 3 cases. These tumors were divided as below: 3 plasmacytoma, 1 chondrosarcoma, 1 osteosarcoma and 1 large B cell lymphoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The management of primary malignant tumors of the sternum is multidisciplinary. It depends on the histological type, the possibility of surgical treatment and the distant and local aggressiveness.
authors.affiliation: Hopital Abderrahman Mami-Ariana, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Alia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zehani
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi-Kaddour
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marghli
authors.forename: Lamia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kassar
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zidi
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kilani
authors.forename: Faouzi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: El Mezni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery