[Primary and secondary chest wall tumors--diagnosis, therapy and results]

In a retrospective study 51 patients who underwent chest wall resection for malignant chest wall tumors were reviewed. There were 28 male and 23 female patients with ages ranging from 6 to 76 years (average 50). 34 patients had primary malignant neoplasms (including breast and lung) 17 had metastatic tumors. The tumor was located in the ribs in 45 patients and in the sternum in 6. Reconstruction was with prosthetic material in 16 patients and further plastic reconstruction in 10. Aggressive resection for malignant chest wall tumors and reliable reconstruction can be performed safely, and early wide resection proved to be a potentially curative treatment for primary neoplasms.