[Malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura: two cases and review of the literature].

We present two cases of malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura (MSFT-P) and review 29 reported cases of MSFT-P. In examining the clinical and morphological features and prognosis of MSFT-P, we found that over 90% of the patients had some symptoms and one-third showed local recurrence. Chest radiographs and CT demonstrated large broad-based masses with necrosis, hemorrhage, and pleural effusion. The maximum diameter of the tumors was greater than 10 cm. Pleural effusion was seen in more than 70% of the patients, but there was only one case of pleural dissemination. All of the cases were well demarcated, and this was the most reliable finding for differentiating MSFT-P and malignant mesothelioma.