A case of giant benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura

Our plain-English summary of A case of giant benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura, by M. Biçer, S. Yaldiz, S. Gürsoy, et al (European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, 1998).

The study

• Authors: M. Biçer, S. Yaldiz, S. Gürsoy, M. Ulğan
• Journal: European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery
• Published: 1998;14(2):211-3
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 6 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

A 60-year-old man had noted exertional dyspnea and left anterior chest pain. A chest roentgenogram showed the presence of a giant mass and computed tomography (CT) of the chest confirmed the mass with an inhomogeneous density in the left hemithorax. A transthoracic TruCut needle biopsy of the mass showed benign fibrous tissue. The patient underwent a thoracotomy. A tumor arose from the visceral pleura of left lower lobe and pedinculated. Size of the tumor was 19 x 18 x 7 cm and weighed 1500 g. It was successfully resected. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura.

In plain English

This case report, from a thoracic surgery department in Izmir, Turkey, described one 60-year-old man with a very large benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura. The article notes that tumors of this type were previously mostly classified as localized mesotheliomas of the pleura. The authors reported that this patient had no asbestos exposure. He had shortness of breath on exertion and left-sided chest pain. Breathing tests showed a restrictive defect, with a vital capacity of 1500 cm3. A needle biopsy showed benign fibrous tissue, but the authors wrote that it was not sufficient for a precise diagnosis. At surgery, the tumor arose from the visceral pleura. It measured 19 by 18 by 7 cm, weighed 1500 g, and was removed. A bloody pleural effusion was also found at operation. Pathology confirmed a benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura. After 2 years of follow-up, the patient was healthy with no sign of recurrence. The authors stated that periodic long-term follow-up is necessary with these tumors.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case report (single patient)
• Who was studied: one 60-year-old man treated at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Teaching Hospital, Izmir, Turkey; dates of treatment not given (article received December 1997)
• Exposure: The authors report no asbestos exposure in this patient
• Main results:
  • Background stated in the article: localized fibrous tumors of the pleura were previously mostly classified as localized mesotheliomas of the pleura, either benign or malignant
  • In this patient, spirometry showed a restrictive pulmonary defect with a vital capacity of 1500 cm3
  • A transthoracic TruCut needle biopsy of the mass showed benign fibrous tissue
  • The authors wrote that the needle biopsy was not sufficient for a precise diagnosis
  • The tumor arose from the visceral pleura
  • The tumor measured 19 × 18 × 7 cm and weighed 1500 g
  • A sanguineous (bloody) pleural effusion was found at the time of operation
  • The pathological diagnosis was benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura
  • After 2 years of follow-up, the patient was healthy with no sign of recurrence
• The authors' conclusion: The authors stated that periodic long-term follow-up is necessary with these tumors

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleura, Dyspnea, Hemithorax, Needle Biopsy, Thoracotomy, Visceral Pleura.

Related studies

• Benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura: report of 25 new cases — S. Enon, D. Kilic, et al. (2012)
• Giant benign fibrous tumor of the pleura in a pregnant woman: report of a case — A. Cakan, U. Cagirici, et al. (2003)
• Malignant localized fibrous tumor of the pleura occurring in a person environmentally exposed to tremolite asbestos — M. Metintas, A.R. Gibbs, et al. (1997)
• Solitary benign fibrous tumors of the pleura — M.A. Regal, A.M. Al Rubaish, et al. (2008)
• Resection of a giant, invasive malignant solitary fibrous tumor of pleura — K. Imai, K. Hirayama, et al. (2012)
• Fine-needle aspiration cytology of localized fibrous tumor of pleura — D. Dusenbery, M.M. Grimes, et al. (1992)

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