Fatal primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumour initially diagnosed as malignant mesothelioma.

A patient with a missed diagnosis of a primary mediastinal germ cell tumour is reported. The initial diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was not compatible with the clinical course. The true diagnosis was reached after the patient had completed a course of palliative irradiation following the development of superior vena cava obstruction. He succumbed to a massive haemoptysis before chemotherapy could begin.