Opinion statement
Fibrous tumor of the pleura is a rare tumor arising from mesenchymal cells underlying the visceral or parietal pleura. The tumor may have benign or malignant histological features, but these do not always predict the clinical behavior of the tumor. In most cases, the tumor appears pedunculated, and simple resection of the tumor is curative even if significant cellular atypia is present. In contrast, some tumors with a broad base of attachment may recur and occasionally become malignant. Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy for both benign and malignant fibrous tumors of the pleura. When resection is incomplete or impossible, external radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is recommended.
Similar content being viewed by others
References and Recommended Reading
Klemperer P, Rabin CB: Primary neoplasms of the pleura. Arch Pathol 1931, 11:385–412.
Said JW, Nash G, Banks-Schlegel S, et al.: Localized fibrous mesothelioma: an immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study. Hum Pathol 1984, 15:440–443.
van de Rijn M, Lombard CM, Rouse RV: Expression of CD34 by solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura, mediastinum, and lung. Am J Surg Pathol 1994, 18:814–820.
Chan JKC: Solitary fibrous tumour—everywhere, and a diagnosis in vogue. Histopathology 1997, 31:568–576. The author presents a review of the histopathologic characteristics of solitary fibrous tumors.
England DM, Hochholzer L, McCarthy MJ: Localized benign and malignant fibrous tumors of the pleura. A clinicopathologic review of 223 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 1989, 13:640–658. This study is the largest reported in the literature. The authors present the main characteristics of fibrous tumor of the pleura and report histologic features permitting to differentiate benign from malignant variants.
Briselli M, Mark EJ, Dickersin GR: Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura: eight new cases and review of 360 cases in the literature. Cancer 1981, 47:2678–2689.
de Perrot M, Kurt AM, Robert JH, et al.: Clinical behavior of solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura. Ann Thorac Surg 1999, 67:1456–1459.
Robinson LA, Reilly RB: Localized pleural mesothelioma. The clinical spectrum. Chest 1994, 106:1611–1615.
Ferretti GR, Chiles C, Cox JE, et al.: Localized benign fibrous tumors of the pleura: MR appearance. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1997, 21:115–120.
Okike N, Bernatz PE, Woolner LB: Localized mesothelioma of the pleura. Benign and malignant variants. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1978, 75:363–372.
Yousem SA, Flynn SD: Intrapulmonary localized fibrous tumor. Intraparenchymal so-called localized fibrous mesothelioma. Am J Clin Pathol 1988, 89:365–369.
Saifuddin A, Da Costa P, Chalmers AG, et al.: Primary malignant localized fibrous tumours of the pleura: clinical, radiological and pathological features. Clin Radiol 1992, 45:13–17.
Aufiero TX, McGary SA, Campbell DB, Phillips PP: Intrapulmonary benign fibrous tumor of the pleura. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1995, 110:549–551.
Witkin GB, Rosai J: Solitary fibrous tumor of the mediastinum. A report of 14 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 1989, 13:547–557.
Martini N, McCormack PM, Bains MS, et al.: Pleural mesothelioma. Ann Thorac Surg 1987, 43:113–120.
Armand JP, Seymour L, Evans TR: Raltitrexed (Tomudex) in combination with platinum-based agents and/or anthracyclines: preliminary results of phase I clinical trials. Eur J Cancer 1999, 35:S14-S18.
Thodtmann R, Depenbrock H, Dumez H, et al.: Clinical and pharmacokinetic phase I study of multitargeted antifolate (LY231514) in combination with cisplatin. J Clin Oncol 1999, 17:3009–3016.
Pass HI: Photodynamic therapy and thoracic malignancies. In Advanced Therapy in Thoracic Surgery. Edited by Franco KL, Putnam JB. Hamilton, Canada: BC Decker; 1998:127–138.
Baas P, Murrer L, Zoetmulder FA, et al.: Photodynamic therapy as adjuvant therapy in surgically treated pleural malignancies. Br J Cancer 1997, 76:819–826.
Dal Cin P, Pauwels P, Van den Berghe H: Solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura with t(4;15) (q13;q26). Histopathology 1999, 35:94–95.
Suster S, Fisher C, Moran CA: Expression of bcl-2 oncoprotein in benign and malignant spindle cell tumors of soft tissue, skin, serosal surfaces, and gastrointestinal tract. Am J Surg Pathol 1998, 22:863–872.
Hasegawa T, Matsuno Y, Shimoda T, et al.: Frequent expression of bcl-2 protein in solitary fibrous tumors. Jpn J Clin Oncol 1998, 28:86–91.
Pass HI, Robinson BW, Testa JR, Carbone M: Emerging translational therapies for mesothelioma. Chest 1999, 116:455S-460S.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Perrot, M. Fibrous tumors of the pleura. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 1, 293–298 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-000-0044-7
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-000-0044-7