CHEST WALL TUMORS

Course overview

THE CHEST WALL REFERS TO THE STRUCTURES SURROUNDING AND PROTECTING THE LUNGS, ENCLOSED BY THE SPINE, AND SEPARATED FROM THE ABDOMEN BY THE DIAPHRAGM. THESE STRUCTURES INCLUDE A MYRIAD OF TISSUES, INCLUDING CARTILAGE, BONE, MUSCLE, FASCIA, VASCULATURE, LYMPHATIC VESSELS, FAT, AND SKIN. TUMORS OF THE CHEST WALL SUBDIVIDE INTO TWO CATEGORIES, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY. PRIMARY CHEST WALL TUMORS ARISE FROM MUSCLE, FAT, BLOOD VESSEL, NERVE SHEATH, CARTILAGE, OR BONE OF THE CHEST WALL. SECONDARY CHEST WALL TUMORS CAN BE FROM DIRECT INVASION OF BREAST CARCINOMA OR LUNG CARCINOMA OR METASTASES FROM A DISTANT SITE OF ORIGIN. CHEST WALL TUMORS ON INITIAL PRESENTATION CAN BE DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE; HOWEVER, A CAREFUL HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION CAN LEAD TO PROPER IMAGING AND MANAGEMENT. IT IS CRUCIAL TO REVIEW THE DIFFERENT IMAGING MODALITIES AVAILABLE AND WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE GATHERED FROM ORDERING THE RIGHT MODALITY. A BIOPSY IS THE GOLD STANDARD TO MAKE A DEFINITE DIAGNOSIS, AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUES CAN BE DISCUSSED WITH THE APPROPRIATE RISKS AND BENEFITS ADDRESSED WITH THE PATIENT. DUE TO THE WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALTIES AND PROVIDERS WHO COME ACROSS THESE CHEST WALL TUMORS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP AN INTERPROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO PATIENT CARE.