Lymphomas of the anterior mediastinum.

Lymphomas are the most common cause of masses in the pediatric mediastinum. More than 50% of children with lymphoblastic lymphoma present with an anterior mediastinal mass, and more than one third of all patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have their primary sites in the mediastinum. Hodgkin's disease also frequently involves this anatomic compartment with approximately two thirds of all pediatric cases manifesting mediastinal adenopathy. Although surgical resection generally is not involved in the primary treatment of these diseases, surgeons often play a key role in obtaining adequate tissue for proper diagnostic analysis. Surgical access to the mediastinum often is required in the acquisition of a specimen.