[Primary hemangiopericytoma of the chest wall: a case report]

Abstract

We describe a rare male case of malignant hemangiopericytoma of the chest wall. An extrapleural chest wall mass about 1.5 x 4 cm in size was detected along the right 3rd rib on a chest roentgenogram when the patient was 58 years old. The tumor did not enlarge for over 12 years thereafter. At the age of 73 years, the patient came to our hospital for chest pain after a traffic accident. A roentgenogram revealed the extrapleural tumor of the chest, which was enlarged to 8 x 12 x 7 cm, and right hemothorax. The tumor was resected together with the 3rd and 4th ribs. Light and electron microscopy and immunostaining studies led to a diagnosis of malignant hemangiopericytoma. The postoperative course was uneventful, and radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed. The patient has been well without recurrence for 18 months after the operation. We also reviewed 9 cases of this tumor reported in Japan.