Primary mediastinal liposarcoma: a case report and review of the literature

A case of mediastinal liposarcoma (LPS) in a 49-year-old female is described. Primary LPS of the mediastinum are very rare tumors. They occur mainly in adults but may be encountered in children. They are characterized by their large size and their variable histologic subtypes, which correlate with the clinical behavior and the prognosis. The radiologic features are nonspecific but are suggestive of the diagnosis. A tissue biopsy is needed for the final diagnosis. The treatment of choice is surgical with wide margin resection. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are ineffective modalities, used in unresectable or incompletely resected tumors. The prognosis depends on the histologic subtypes and completeness of surgical excision.