Thymic basaloid carcinoma with aggressive invasion of the lung and pericardium: report of a case.

We report a case of basaloid carcinoma of the thymus, invading the lung and pericardium. The patient was a 72-year-old man who suffered thoracic trauma in a fall and was taken to his family physician. Computed tomography revealed a huge mediastinal tumor with cystic components, pressing into the lung.

A case of diffused malignant pleural mesothelioma forming small multiple disseminations with intraoperatively suspicious carcinoid tumors.

A 65-year-old male, having symptoms suggestive of pulmonary malignant tumor, underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Surgery revealed a solid tumor originating from the thoracic wall, with many small solid tumors in the thoracic wall and diaphragm near the tumor. The intraoperative observation of a frozen section typed the tumor as carcinoid; however, hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistological findings provided the definitive diagnosis of diffused, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

A complication of thoracic surgery: a late-onset chylomediastinum resulting from a left upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection through a median sternotomy.

A 63-year-old male with lung cancer underwent a left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection through a median sternotomy. Postoperatively, he received 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabin. Chest computed-tomography (CT) scan after the adjuvant chemotherapy showed a large cystic mass originating from the tracheal bifurcation.

Complication of bovine pericardial buttress: pulmonary pseudotumor.

A 38-year-old man reported progressive back pain 4 years after undergoing partial resection of the lung for spontaneous pneumothorax, using staples buttressed with bovine pericardium. Chest computed tomography detected a mass near the staple line. Resection of the mass was performed successfully and the pain was relieved.

A long-term survivor with late-onset-repeated pulmonary metastasis of a PEComa.

A 59-year-old male underwent a surgical resection of a retroperitoneum tumor in 1990 that was diagnosed as leiomyoblastoma. Thereafter he demonstrated pulmonary metastases followed by a total of 3 pulmonary resections from 1995 to 1997. In 2008, he was incidentally found to have a tumor in the left lower lobe, which was diagnosed as a metastatic perivascular epithelioid cell (PEComa) neoplasm.

The results of surgery under general anesthesia in patients with lung cancer.

Purpose: There are few reports of surgical complications for underweight patients. This study evaluated the complications associated with lung cancer surgery and anesthesia in underweight patients in a comparison with obese ones.

Methods: A single-center retrospective evaluation of perioperative complications was conducted in 756 patients who underwent thoracic surgery under general anesthesia between 1996 and 2006.

Results of a pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The lung is one of the key sites of hematogenous metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer. A metastasectomy of the lung is reported to improve the prognosis of colorectal cancer. We reviewed our experience in evaluating the surgical outcomes in colorectal cancer patients who have undergone a pulmonary metastasectomy.

Thyroid cancer with a cystic mediastinal tumor invading the right main bronchus.

A 55-year-old woman presented with hemosputum. She had noted thyroid swelling and computed tomography was performed by her family physician. The computed tomographic scan revealed a thyroid tumor and a mediastinal cyst connecting to the thyroid tumor.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery for fibropurulent thoracic empyema: a bridge to open thoracic surgery.

Background: Thoracic empyema remains a serious problem.

Objective: We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for fibropurulent thoracic empyema.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-six consecutive patients with thoracic empyema resistant to medical therapy were treated by VATS from 1997 to 2006.

Can a thoracic surgeon identify lymph node metastases during surgery based on their size? Analysis of 844 metastatic and 10,462 nonmetastatic lymph nodes.

Objective: A metastatic lymph node commonly becomes enlarge; however, there is limited data available with regard to the direct measurement of lymph nodes and their clinicopathologic characteristics.

Methods: The size of dissected lymph node was quantified in a total of 848 nodes with metastasis and 10,462 nodes without metastasis from 454 patients with lung cancer who underwent a pulmonary resection with lymph node dissection.

Results: The short axis and the volume of the metastatic lymph nodes were significantly greater than those of the nonmetastatic ones.

Feasibility study for biweekly administration of cisplatin plus gemcitabine as adjuvant-chemotherapy for completely resected non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of biweekly administration of cisplatin and gemcitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: This was a single-arm, single-institutional study. Patients with completely resected NSCLC (p-Stages IB-IIIA) with no previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy were eligible.

The perioperative complications for elderly patients with lung cancer associated with a pulmonary resection under general anesthesia.

Background: Surgery for elderly patients with lung cancer is relatively common due to the increasing elderly population. This study evaluated the perioperative complications associated with surgery in patients over 70 years of age with lung cancer.

Patients And Methods: A single-center retrospective evaluation was conducted of perioperative complications (1996-2006) in lung cancer surgical patients.

Effect of body mass index on perioperative complications in thoracic surgery.

Obesity is perceived as a risk factor in general thoracic surgery. We conducted a single-center retrospective evaluation of perioperative complications in 822 patients who underwent thoracic surgery between 2000 and 2005. According to body mass index, 82 were underweight (< 18.

Resection of mediastinal granulocytic sarcoma triggered the rapid progression of acute myeloid leukemia.

Mediastinal granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is a relatively rare disease. We experienced a case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that took a rapid turn for the worse after the resection of a mediastinal GS. A healthy 60-year-old man had been in good general health all his life, but was diagnosed with a mediastinal tumor by his family physician and was referred to our department.

Favorable surgical results for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer over 80 years old: a multicenter survey.

Background: Surgery for elderly patients, especially those over 80 years old, with primary lung neoplasms is a relatively common treatment according to the increasing elderly population. We reviewed our experiences to evaluate surgical outcomes in over-80-year-old patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: We reviewed and analyzed the clinical records of 146 consecutive over-80-year-old patients (Group 1) and 926 control patients (65 years old and younger) (Group 2) with NSCLC who underwent surgical resections from 1981 to 2006.

Pulmonary typical carcinoid tumor and liver metastasis with hypermetabolism on 18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET: a case report.

Pulmonary carcinoid tumors are generally hypometabolic on 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET). We experienced a case of pulmonary typical carcinoid that showed rapid growth and high FDG uptake at the primary site and liver metastasis. A 56-year-old man with hemosputum had a medical examination by his family physician.

Late-period-onset chylothorax after a pulmonary resection for lung cancer: a case report.

A 65-year-old female had been diagnosed with right lung cancer by her family physician, and she was introduced to our Department of Thoracic Surgery at Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital in May 2004. She underwent a right upper lobectomy and wedge resection of S6 with the systematic dissection of her mediastinal lymph nodes. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged on postoperative day 19.

A long-term survivor after aggressive treatment for tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma: a case report.

A 61-year-old male underwent a tracheal resection and reconstruction with omentopexy for the treatment of tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma. Postoperatively, he received radiotherapy for a microscopic residual tumor of the tracheal margin. It recurred with pulmonary metastasis and para-esophageal lymph nodal metastasis at 7 years and 10 months after the initial operation.

Prognostic value of the histological subtype in completely resected non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which includes several different histological subtypes, is usually treated by the same strategy. However, the biological behavior of each cell type appears to be different. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 1119 consecutive NSCLC patients who underwent a complete resection, in order to investigate whether a histological cell type is a powerful prognostic factor.

Persistent and aggressive treatment for thymic carcinoma. Results of a single-institute experience with 25 patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the role of several therapies, mainly chemotherapy, for thymic carcinoma (TC).

Methods: From July 1973 to July 2005, 25 patients (15 males and 10 females) with histologically proven TC were treated at our department. The median age of the patients was 59 years, with a range of from 30 to 78 years.

Establishment of a clinical pathway as an effective tool to reduce hospitalization and charges after video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of establishing a clinical pathway based on the length of hospitalization, hospital charges, and the outcome for video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection (VATPR).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having primary lung cancer, metastatic lung cancer, or a nodule that was suspected to be malignant and thus was operated on using VATPR during the 1-year period before (n = 105) and after (n = 113) pathway implementation.

Results: The mean economic cost and total hospital stay before and after pathway implementation were about dollars 14439 and dollars 13093 (US), and 29.

[A case of adenocarcinoma of the lung significantly responding to TS-1 plus cisplatin combination chemotherapy].

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital, complaining of productive cough and chest pain. Chest radiograph and computed tomography revealed a huge mass invading the mediastinum, enlargement of right hilar and cardiophrenic lymph nodes and nodules in right lower lobe and left upper lobe. Multiple space occupying regions in the liver were also observed.

Triplet chemotherapy for malignant pericardial mesothelioma: a case report.

Malignant pericardial mesothelioma (MPM) is a relatively rare neoplasm in Japan, and no standard treatment regimens have been established for this disease. A 47-year-old woman with MPM presenting with cardiac tamponade was treated using four cycles of chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin (CDDP) 40 mg/m2, gemcitabine (GEM) 800 mg/m2 and vinorelbine (VNR) 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks after pericardial drainage alone. The diagnosis of MPM was confirmed by an immunohistochemical procedure using either positive or negative markers of malignant mesothelioma in addition to conventional cytological examinations using pericardial effusion.

Relationship of tumor size to survival in patients with pT2N0 lung cancer.

Lung cancer extending beyond 3 cm in diameter without lymph node or distant metastasis is defined as T2. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prognosis based on tumor size for patients with resected T2N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer. The 268 patients who underwent complete resection of a lung tumor > 3 cm in diameter were reviewed retrospectively.