Evaluation of surgical procedures in primary mediastinal cysts and tumors: single-center experience

Pathological complete response with cocktail chemotherapy in mediastinal seminoma

A mediastinal mass can present a diagnostic challenge, especially when symptoms necessitate urgent treatment. Mediastinal seminoma, a rare extragonadal germ cell tumour, shares clinical features with testicular seminoma, such as slow growth and high sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This case is of a man in his 40s presenting with cough and chest discomfort, with imaging revealing a large anterior mediastinal mass that was causing left diaphragmatic paralysis due to phrenic nerve involvement. Urgent CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and tissue biopsy supported the diagnosis of mediastinal seminoma, prompting the immediate initiation of chemotherapy with an induction dose of etoposide and cisplatin, followed by the cisplatin, vincristine, methotrexate, bleomycin alternating with actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, etoposide regimen. This approach led to significant tumour reduction, facilitating complete surgical resection and sparing of the right phrenic nerve. Despite early fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography suggesting residual activity, resection histopathology confirmed no malignant cells. The patient achieved a favourable outcome, underscoring the importance of rapid treatment initiation, effective chemotherapy regimens and multidisciplinary management in mediastinal seminoma cases.

A Case of Primary Extragonadal Germ Cell Malignancy With Testicular Microlithiasis: Its Association and Significance

A 30-year-old South Asian male with no specific medical history presented with shortness of breath of insidious onset for two months, with facial puffiness and progressive dysphagia. Physical examination revealed dilated veins over the upper chest, upper arms, and back, with an ejection systolic murmur. Thoracic imaging revealed a large mass occupying the anterior mediastinum, encasing the aorta with mass effect on the esophagus, and causing superior vena cava obstruction. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination of the mass revealed a seminomatous germ cell tumor. Ultrasonography of the testes was normal except for microlithiasis. The patient was initiated on cisplatin-based chemotherapy and showed symptomatic improvement after two cycles. This case describes an uncommon presentation of primary extragonadal germ cell malignancy with testicular microlithiasis, a premalignant condition linked to gonadal germ cell malignancy. Further studies are needed to determine a correlation, if any, between testicular microlithiasis and extragonadal germ cell malignancy.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for complex mediastinal mature teratoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Mediastinal mature teratoma is the most common histological type of primary extragonadal germ cell tumor. In this report, we describe a rare case of giant mature teratoma located primarily in the anterior mediastinum and causing partial atelectasis of the upper and middle lobes of the right lung, as well as extrinsic compression of the right atrium.

CASE SUMMARY

A 31-year-old male with a giant mediastinal mature teratoma presented with progressive exertional dyspnea and chest pain for 1 mo. Computed tomography of the chest indicated the diagnosis of anterior mediastinal teratoma. The patient underwent right uniportal anterior approach video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). En bloc resection of the giant teratoma, wedge resection of the upper and middle lobes of the right lung, resection of the thymus and partial excision of the pericardium were successfully performed. The pathological diagnosis revealed a mature cystic teratoma with foreign-body reaction that was closely related to the right lung, atrium dextrum, superior vena cava and ascending aorta. An atrophic thymic tissue was also discovered at the external teratoma surface. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of the use of uniportal VATS for complete resection of a teratoma in combination with wedge resection of the right upper and middle lung lobes and partial resection of the pericardium.

Primary mediastinal seminoma with florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

First described in 1955 Primary mediastinal seminomas are rare. Only 1-4% of mediastinal tumours are germ cell tumors; majority of which are teratomas. They typically present in men aged between 20 and 40 years. Very few cases are reported in the literature. Florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia can obscure the malignant cells and is a rarer finding still. We present a rare case of a 48 year old man with a primary mediastinal seminoma with florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia; found following excision of a clinically presumed thymoma.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 48 year old man was referred for excision of a thymic mass. The presumed diagnosis was a thymoma; following preoperative investigations. The mass was incidentally found on a radiological imaging. However, the patient did report mid-sternal discomfort on lying flat and breathlessness. The patient underwent a thymectomy via a partial median sternotomy with good recovery. Histological assessment was that the mass was in fact a primary mediastinal seminoma with florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia. A primary testicular malignancy was excluded and the patient required no further oncological treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Only 11 cases have previously been reported of primary mediastinal seminoma with florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia. Although rare, a primary mediastinal seminoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis for presentations with a thymic mass. Tumour markers can be helpful, however are only positive in third of cases. Ultrasound imaging of the gonads is essential to exclude a primary gonadal lesion. Pure seminomas are radiotherapy and chemotherapy sensitive however the mainstay treatment of primary mediastinal seminomas remains surgical excision. Radiotherapy is reserved postoperatively for incomplete surgical margins.

Analysis of lung volume reduction surgery results with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in emphysematous lung patients

AIM

In our study, we aimed to evaluate the results of patients who underwent lung volume reduction surgery with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery due to diffuse or upper lobe limited emphysema.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients who underwent lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for emphysema in our clinic between March 2015 and January 2020 were included in the study. The files of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. Age, gender, smoking history, hospitalization time, drain removal time, complications, and postoperative pulmonary function test values were evaluated in the patient records.

RESULTS

Twenty-four of the patients were male and 2 were female. The average age was determined as 49.6. Twenty-six patients underwent 31 surgical procedures, 5 of which were bilateral. Twenty-seven of them were performed by videothoracoscopic LVRS. Preoperative mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) value was 32.7%, total lung capacity 132%, residual volume 280%. The average length of hospital stay was found to be 7.75 days (4-19), and the time to remove the thorax drain was 9.5 (4-23) days. FEV1: 1.78 (48.5%) was found in the pulmonary function tests of the patients at the 6th month postoperative controls. According to preoperative FEV1, 48.3% improvement was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Volume reduction surgery is a treatment method that positively affects the natural course of emphysema in addition to quitting smoking and oxygen therapy. Patients with predominantly emphysema in the upper lobes, low exercise capacity, and appropriate FEV1 values benefited most from this treatment.