Surgical experience of 15 solitary benign fibrous tumor of the pleura.

Objective: The localized benign fibrous tumor of the pleura represents 8% of all benign pathologies of the chest and 10% of neoplasms of the pleura. The authors review the literature, and report on 15 cases of localized benign fibrous tumors of the pleura surgically treated over a period of 15 years to further knowledge of this pathology, its therapy and prognosis.

Methods: With respect to the well-known diffuse malignant mesothelioma, different etiopathogenesis, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches characterize the localized benign fibrous tumor of the pleura. In our experience, 15 patients underwent thoracotomy with excision of a pathological endothoracic mass, then histologically proved to be a localized benign tumor of the pleura. The whole group underwent pre-operative evaluation and, when clinic suggested, stadiation and post-operative frequent follow-up.

Results: The whole group of 15 patients underwent surgical approach well tolerated the surgical treatment with perfect recovery of post-operative respiratory function. There was no relapse of disease in any patients. At the moment all patients are still alive except one dead of heart failure.

Conclusion: The differential diagnosis of benign fibrous tumor of the pleura and lung and pleural malignancy depends upon immunohistochemistry of the surgical specimen so that prognosis could be formulated only after surgery. We consider surgery as the treatment of choice in this pathology.