[A case of malignant hemangiopericytoma arising from the mediastinum accompanied by hepatocellular carcinoma]

Abstract

A 65-year-old man was admitted to Oita Medical University Hospital with complaints of right back pain, diplopia and vertigo. A tumor, 33 x 25 mm, was found on the right lateral chest wall on admission. Chest X-ray film and chest CT scan showed a tumor, 50 x 30 mm, in the right posterior mediastinum. The chest wall tumor was diagnosed as malignant hemangiopericytoma by biopsy, and the same diagnosis was made for the mediastinal lesion by aspiration cytology. Brain MRI showed a mass at the skull base, which was found to be a metastatic bone tumor from the mediastinal malignant hemangiopericytoma. Abdominal CT scan showed a massive tumor, 65 x 60 mm, in the right lobe of the liver. The liver tumor was diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma by biopsy. Combination chemotherapy, employing cyclophosphamide, vincristine, pirarubicin and dacarbazine (DYVADIC), in conjunction with radiation therapy, produced no response. The patient died 5 months after admission. Malignant hemangiopericytoma arising from the mediastinum is uncommon. Thus, the clinical features of our case, as well as those of previously reported cases in Japan, are discussed herein.