[Primary and secondary chest wall tumors from the pathologist's viewpoint].

Fibrous dysplasia (20%), metastases (16%) and chondrosarcoma (11%) are the most common bone tumors of the chest wall. Except lipoma, primary lesions of the soft tissue of the chest occur rarely as well. The Askin- and Abrikosoff tumor, elastofibroma dorsi and desmoid can be seen as typical exceptions. With respect to the histogenetic classification of undifferentiated sarcomas and thoracic metastases (f.e. prostatic carcinomas or mesotheliomas) an intimate cooperation of surgeons and pathologists as well as modern immunohistochemical investigations are required.