Interdisciplinary Treatment of Malignant Chest Wall Tumors

Background: Chest wall resections for malignant chest wall tumors (MCWTs), particularly those with full-thickness chest wall involvement requiring reconstruction, present a therapeutic challenge for thoracic and plastic reconstructive surgeons. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with chest wall resection for primary and metastatic MCWTs, with a focus on perioperative outcomes and postoperative overall survival (OS). Methods: All patients who underwent surgical resection for primary and secondary MCWTs at our single institution between 2000 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 42 patients (25 male, median age 60 years) operated upon with curative (n = 37, 88.1%) or palliative (n = 5, 11.9%) intent were reviewed. Some 33 (78%) MCWTs were of secondary origin. Chest wall reconstruction was required in 40 (95%) cases. A total of 13 (31%) patients had postoperative complications and one (2.3%) died perioperatively. The 5-year postoperative overall survival rate was 51.9%. The postoperative 5-year survival rate of 42.6% in patients with secondary MCWTs was significantly lower compared to the figure of 87.5% in patients with primary MCWTs. Conclusions: In well-selected patients, chest wall resections for primary and secondary MCWTs are feasible and associated with good perioperative outcomes. For secondary MCWTs, surgery can also be performed with palliative intent.