[Primary benign chest wall tumors: results of surgical treatment]

We undertook this study to describe the clinical characteristics of primary benign chest wall tumors and to evaluate the results of surgical treatment.

We included patients with primary benign chest wall tumors who underwent surgical resection at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología from January 1990 to December 2002. All patients had histological confirmation of benign tumor. Descriptive analysis was carried out.

There were 17 patients, nine women (53%), with an average age of 35.1 years (interval 16-66 years). The most frequent tumor was chondroma in seven cases (41%), followed by aponeurotic-muscle fibromatosis in five (30%) and the remaining five patients had other tumor types. All patients were subject to thoracic wall resection, including at least one rib in each patient. In three patients the sternum was resected (17.6%), the clavicle in two (11.7%), thoracic vertebrae in one (5.9%) and associated structures in four patients (23.5%). In eight patients (47%) the thoracic wall was reconstructed with marlex mesh, whereas the remaining patients required no reconstruction. Of the 17 patients, 16 are alive without disease and one presented delayed recurrence with an aponeurotic-muscle fibromatosis requiring a new thoracic wall resection. One patient presented with respiratory complications and died after 42 days due to thoracic wall instability. Average follow-up time was 103 months.

Primary benign chest wall tumors are locally aggressive and must be treated with wide resection of the thoracic wall. In addition, surgical reconstruction with prosthetic materials and/or myocutaneous flaps is done prior to resection, for stability of the thorax when the localization is anterior or lateral.