Large Thoracic Solitary Fibrous Tumor: A Case Report

A solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a type of soft-tissue sarcoma capable of extensive growth, potentially involving adjacent tissues. We present an unusually large SFT case with minimal clinical symptoms, highlighting the diagnostic challenges posed by its size in relation to its benign presentation.

We present a case of a 73-year-old male admitted to the hospital with a sensation of heaviness in the epigastric region and shortness of breath when lying on his left side. Computed tomography revealed a large left hemithorax mass, which was successfully excised. This case exemplifies the right approach to managing a large thoracic SFT, highlighting successful treatment and the role of the patient's self-care in the outcome. We considered minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery alone, upfront thoracotomy, and even alternatives like preoperative embolization, but a staged strategy was chosen as the safest, because of limited visualization and size.

Our case highlights that even giant STFs may stay clinically silent, it underscores that size alone is not predictive for clinical manifestation. Patient's self-care and early manifestation may become a life-changing aspect, just because size and symptoms do not correlate.