Rhabdomyosarcoma of the mediastinum. Case report

Abstract

Objective: To present a case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the anterior mediastinum and review the literature concerning this disease.

Materials and methods: Case report of a patient treated at the Hospital de Clínicas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, with mediastinal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Results: A 48-year-old man was initially diagnosed with a suspected pulmonary tumor. A left posterolateral thoracotomy revealed a mass in the anterior and superior mediastinum. Tumor excision and mediastinal drainage were performed. Pathological examination showed a 12 × 8 × 7 cm poorly differentiated, high-grade malignant spindle and giant-cell tumor, with benign lymph nodes. Immunohistochemistry established the diagnosis of pleomorphic mediastinal rhabdomyosarcoma, unassociated with germ-cell teratomatous or thymic carcinomatous components.

Conclusion: Mediastinal rhabdomyosarcoma is unusual at this anatomical site, although a small number of cases have been described internationally. The authors report what they considered the first case documented in Paraguay.