Mediastinal tumor (patient information)

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Editor-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [mailto:mgibson@perfuse.org] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Jinhui Wu, M.D.; Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

Overview
The mediastinum is the part of the chest between the sternum and the spinal column, and between the lungs. It is divided into three sections: anterior, middle and posterior. Lymphomas and thymomas are the most common mediastinal tumors in adults. Early mediastinal tumor does not have any symptoms. As the tumor grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms: chest pain, cough, hemoptysis, hoarseness, shortness of breath, chills and fever, night sweats.

What are the symptoms of Mediastinal tumor?
Almost half of mediastinal tumors cause no symptoms and are found on a chest x-ray performed for another reason. Symptoms that do occur are due to pressure on (compression of) local structures and may include:


 * Chest pain
 * Chills
 * Cough
 * Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
 * Fever
 * Hoarseness
 * Night sweats
 * Shortness of breath

What causes Mediastinal tumor?

 * 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, 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 patient. In children, tumors are more common in the posterior mediastinum. These tumors often begin in the nerves and are non-cancerous (benign).


 * Most mediastinal tumors in adults occur in the anterior mediastinum and are usually cancerous (malignant) lymphomas or thymomas. These tumors are most common in people ages 30 - 50.

Diagnosis

 * A medical history and physical examination may show:
 * Fever
 * High-pitched breathing sound (stridor)
 * Swollen or tender lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
 * Unintentional weight loss
 * Wheezing


 * Further testing may include:
 * Chest x-ray
 * CT-guided needle biopsy
 * CT scan of the chest
 * Mediastinoscopy with biopsy
 * MRI of the chest

When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if you notice symptoms of a mediastinal tumor.

Treatment options
Treatment for mediastinal tumors depends on the type of tumor.


 * For thymic cancers, surgery is the treatment of choice. It may be followed by radiation or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the tumor and the success of the surgery.


 * For lymphomas, chemotherapy followed by radiation is the treatment of choice.


 * For neurogenic tumors of the posterior mediastinum, surgery is the treatment of choice.

Where to find medical care for Mediastinal tumor?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Mediastinal tumor

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
The outcome depends on the type of tumor. Different tumors respond differently to chemotherapy and radiation.

Possible Complications
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.

Related Chapters

 * Lymphoma (patient information)
 * Thymoma (patient information)

Categor:Disease