CLASSIFICATION AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF MEDIASTINAL TUMORS CASES IN A REFERENCE HOSPITAL OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE IN SALVADOR-BA

Introduction: Mediastinal tumors include several histological types with distinct biological behaviors. These subtypes vary with age, with thymic tumors being the most common, followed by lymphomas, neurogenic tumors, germinative cells tumors and cysts. Background / Objective: Considering the lack of data on these tumors in our country, we decided to describe a series of 122 consecutive cases of mediastinal tumors according to histological type, age and gender. Methodology: a descriptive epidemiological study based on anatomopathological and immunohistochemical diagnoses from 2009 to 2016, in mediastinal topography, in a referral hospital for cancer treatment in Salvador-Bahia. It was made Excel® spreadsheet database. Results: A total of 122 patients were identified, 66 men and 56 women, with a mean age of 40 years (SD +/- 19). Of the 122 tumors, 7 were non-neoplastic cysts and 115 were neoplasms. Among the neoplasms, 99 (86%) were malignant and 16 (14%) benign. Lymphomas were the most common malignant neoplasms (44 cases, 44.4%), followed by carcinomas (22, 22.2%), germinative cells tumors and other rare ones. Lymphomas and carcinomas were more frequent in males (41 men, 62.1%, and 25 women, 37.9%), while benign thymomas and neural tumors were more frequent in females (9 men, 32.1%, and 19 women, 67.9%). Conclusion: There is a clear difference in the histopathological pattern of mediastinal tumors regarding age and gender, being the most common benign tumors in female patients. Neuroblastic malignant tumors were exclusive to the pediatric group, while carcinomas were exclusively observed in adults. The high frequency of mediastinal lymphomas is highlighted, including a rare subtype for this topography, Burkitt lymphoma, requiring correlation with possible risk factors.

Publication History

Article published online:
23 October 2019