[Clinicopathological characteristics and surgical treatment of primary neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum].

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical and histopathological characteristics, and surgical treatment of primary neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum.

METHODS

The experience in diagnosis and treatment of 125 patients with primary neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum from Jan. 1965 to Dec. 1998 in our hospital was summarized. All patients were operated and pathologically confirmed.

RESULTS

Primary neurogenic tumor accounted for 125(22.0%) of 568 patients with primary tumors of the mediastinum in the same period. The incidence of neurilemoma was 48.9% (61/125), neurofibroma 27.2% (34/125), ganglioneuroma 13.6% (17/125), and other rare tumors 10.4% (13/125, neurofibrosarcoma 4, ganglioneuroblastoma 3, chemodectoma 3, pheochromocytoma 2, and neuroblastoma 1). In this series, 78 patients did not have any subjective symptoms, and the tumors were found on routine physical checkup. In 117 patients, the tumors were located in the posterior mediastinum. In all bwt 2 patients, the tumor was resectable. The postoperative complication rate was 4.0% and operative mortality rate was 0.8%. The 3-year survival rate in patients with malignant tumors was 18.2%.

CONCLUSION

The clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary neurogenic mediastinal tumors varies with their histopathology. Surgical operation is the first choice of treatment.