[Carcinoma of the lung involving the thoracic wall]

Carcinoma of the lung involving the chest wall causes severe pain. An unusual type of chest wall tumour is Pancoast's carcinoma, also called "the superior sulcus tumour". The long tumour involving the chest wall is considered a T3 lesion and hence stage IIIa. Reconstruction of the chest wall is generally achieved with autogenous tissue; The treatment of a superior sulcus tumour consists of preoperative radiotherapy followed by radical surgical resection of the lung, involving chest wall nerve endings. In Pancoast's tumour 5-year survival is reported as between 23% and 40% with combined irradiation and operation for T3-NO lesions.