title: Treatment of an Askin tumor: A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Askin tumors are rare malignant neoplasms that are localized in the thoracopulmonary region and mainly occur in children and adolescents. Further investigation with regard to the effective treatment of this disease is required, since the disease has a low incidence and limited knowledge is available on the biological activity and prognostic factors of this type of tumor. The present study describes the case of a 30-year-old male patient with a histologically and morphologically proven Askin tumor who was treated in Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute (Jinan, China). A chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a large mass filling the entire left lung, associated with mediastinum and right lung compression and accompanied by destruction of the 2nd rib. The patient accepted chemotherapy and radiotherapy instead of a radical mass resection since the mass was irresectable. A good clinical response was achieved to the chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The diagnosis and treatment of Askin tumors remains a challenge for clinicians and surgeons due to the absence of standard therapeutic guidelines for the treatment of this disease. According to the experience obtained from the cases encountered to date, treatment strategies should aim to reduce local recurrence and distant metastasis. Moreover, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy or a combination of these methods appears to constitute an effective treatment strategy for Askin tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: Hongjiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Renben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Askin tumor; Ewing sarcoma family of tumors; peripheral primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor; treatment