Learn About Mediastinal Tumor
Mediastinal tumors are growths that form in the mediastinum. This is an area in the middle of the chest that separates the lungs.
Thymoma - mediastinal; Lymphoma - mediastinal
The mediastinum is the part of the chest that lies between the sternum and the spinal column, and between the lungs. This area contains the heart, large blood vessels, windpipe (trachea), thymus gland, esophagus, and connective tissues. The mediastinum is divided into three sections:
- Anterior (front)
- Middle
- Posterior (back)
Mediastinal tumors are rare.
The most common location for tumors in the mediastinum depends on the age of the person. In children, tumors are more common in the posterior mediastinum. These tumors often begin in the nerves and are noncancerous (benign).
Most mediastinal tumors in adults occur in the anterior mediastinum. They are usually cancerous (malignant) lymphomas, germ cell tumors, or thymomas (cancers of the thymus). These tumors are most common in middle aged and older adults.
Almost one half of mediastinal tumors cause no symptoms and are found on a chest x-ray done for another reason. Symptoms that do occur are due to pressure on (compression of) local structures and may include:
- Chest pain
- Fever and chills
- Cough
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Hoarseness
- Night sweats
- Shortness of breath
Treatment for mediastinal tumors depends on the type of tumor and symptoms:
- Thymomas are treated with surgery. It may be followed by radiation or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the tumor and the success of the surgery.
- Germ cell tumors are usually treated with chemotherapy.
- For lymphomas, chemotherapy is the treatment of choice, and is possibly followed by radiation.
- For nerve-related tumors of the posterior mediastinum, surgery is the main treatment.
Yale University
Frank Detterbeck is a Thoracic Surgeon and a General Surgeon in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Detterbeck and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Mediastinal Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Thymic Epithelial Tumor, Lung Cancer, Mediastinal Tumor, Thymectomy, and Endoscopy.
AOU Città Della Salute E Della Scienze Di Torino
Enrico Ruffini practices in Turin, Italy. Mr. Ruffini and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Mediastinal Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Thymic Epithelial Tumor, Mediastinal Tumor, Lung Cancer, Thymectomy, and Endoscopy.
Maurizio Martelli practices in Rome, Italy. Mr. Martelli and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Mediastinal Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Mediastinal Tumor, Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma (PMBCL), B-Cell Lymphoma, Tissue Biopsy, and Bone Marrow Transplant.
The outcome depends on the type of tumor. Different tumors respond differently to chemotherapy and radiation.
Complications of mediastinal tumors include:
- Spinal cord compression
- Spread to nearby structures such as the heart, lining around the heart (pericardium), and great vessels (aorta and vena cava)
Radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy can all have serious complications.
Contact your health care provider if you notice symptoms of a mediastinal tumor.
Summary: This is a prospective multicenter, non-randomized research program that includes: * a phase IV study (for all patients) with a collection of tissue specimens of tumor, * a phase II study (for patients with primary mediastinal tumors and an unfavorable decline in tumor markers), * and a diagnostic study (for all patients, except patients with brain metastases at baseline or patients for whom any br...
Summary: The purpose of this study is to to compare lung function data generated by applying High Fidelity Functional Lung Imaging (HFFLI) software to 4D CT, cone beam CT, and fluoroscopic images of the lungs breathing to determine whether different modalities of imaging provide similar data on lung movement and function. HFFLI may detect changes in lung function in patients undergoing External Beam Radiot...
Published Date: June 17, 2024
Published By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
McCool FD. Diseases of the diaphragm, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 86.
Triplette M, Varghese TK, Cheng GS. Mediastinal tumors and cysts. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 115.