DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF MEDIASTINAL TUMORS AND TUMOR-LIKE MASSES

The aim of the study was to perform a retrospective analysis of the results of diagnosis and treatment of 134 patients with mediastinal tumors and tumor-like masses. Mediastinal tumors were present in 92 (68.7%) cases (lymphomas - 53, lipomas - 12, thymomas - 11, neurofibromas - 6, paragangliomas - 4, neurinomas - 3, liposarcomas - 2, hemangiopericytoma -1), mediastinal cysts - in 35 (26.1%) cases (pericardial -19, dermoid - 9, bronchogenic - 4, enterogenous - 3), substernal goiter - in 7 (5.2%) cases. Treatment strategy was chosen due to histological grade of the neoplasm, patterns of mediastinal involvement as well as due to the relationships with adjacent anatomical structures and organs. Transthoracic needle biopsy followed by chemoradiation was performed in 14 (10.4%) patients. Surgical treatment of neoplasms was used in 120 (89.6%) patients. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery performed in 89 (66.4%) patients allowed to visualize well the neoplasm and remove it with minimum operating trauma. The use of the above surgery technique permitted to obtain good clinical outcomes in 99.3% cases of mediastinal masses including patients with severe concomitant diseases and low functional reserves of the body.