Successful removal of a giant recurrent mediastinal liposarcoma involving both hemithoraces

Primary liposarcomas of the mediastinum are unusual tumors. We report herei n a case of a 52-year-old woman, who was found to have a mediastinal tumor involving both hemithoraces and radiologically showing non-resectable-invas ive features to the adjacent vital structures. She had a history of left th oracotomy for mediastinal schwannoma 14 years previously. The patient under went an exploratory thoracotomy following a preoperative misdiagnosis of an ancient schwannoma. Complete removal of the tumor was accomplished through a right posterolateral thoracotomy with a subsequent histological diagnosi s of a recurrent low-grade liposarcoma. A resectable liposarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a mediastinal tumor, although r adiologically, the tumor presents with invasive features. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.