Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Thoracic surgical oncology.
- Journal:
- Clinical techniques in small animal practice
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Kuntz, C A
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
Plain-English summary
Thoracic surgical oncology focuses on treating tumors in the chest area, including the chest wall, lungs, and surrounding structures like the heart and esophagus. The most common types of tumors in the chest wall are osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma. For lung tumors, the type of cancer, size, grade, and whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes are important factors that affect survival, with lymph node status being the most critical. Patients with certain types of tumors can experience related health issues, but those without complications and with tumors that can be surgically removed generally have a very good chance of recovery. Overall, when following proper guidelines, the risk of serious complications during and after surgery is low, and many patients can expect to live a long time after treatment.
Abstract
Thoracic surgical oncology involves surgical treatment of lesions of the thoracic wall, pulmonary parenchyma, or mediastinum (also including heart, esophagus, or trachea). The most common neoplasms of the thoracic wall are osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma. Histopathologic type, the use of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, and completeness of surgical margins are prognostic for survival. Relative to solitary pulmonary masses, carcinomas are most common, with histopathologic type, tumor size, tumor grade, and lymph node status prognostic for survival. Of the aforementioned variables, lymph node status is the most significant. Extensive preoperative workup, including bronchoscopy and transthoracic fine needle aspiration of solitary lung masses, is usually not recommended. Thymomas are the most common surgical mediastinal mass. Patients are frequently affected with paraneoplastic syndromes including myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, and nonthymic neoplasia. Patients without megaesophagus with surgically resectable masses have an excellent prognosis for survival. Provision of analgesia after surgery in thoracotomy patients is extremely important. Carefully selected analgesic agents in thoracotomy patients are far less damaging to cardiovascular status than is tachycardia from excessive pain. Given these and other guidelines, perioperative mortality in thoracotomy patients is minimal, and long-term survival in selected patients is excellent.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9634348/