Primary liposarcoma of the mediastinum--a case report and review of the literature.

Liposarcoma of the mediastinum is a rare disease. A 59 year old woman was seen with the complaint of dizziness. A chest radiogram taken during the course of investigation for hypertension revealed a large mass shadow 24 X 18.5 X 12 cm located in the anterior mediastinum. The tumor of the mediastinum was diagnosed as a benign lipoma when it was first resected, but subsequently proved to be a liposarcoma when it re-appeared 2 years and 10 month later. Based on the WHO classification, the mixed type of liposarcoma was diagnosed. The salient and pathological features of mediastinal liposarcoma are reviewed and compared with those nine cases reported in Japan and fifty in North America and European countries. Treatment by simple enucleation or shelling out of the tumor should be discouraged, since this seems to be the main cause of local recurrence. Surgical wide en bloc excision is the treatment of choice.