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chest tumour treatments

Other Chest Tumours

Common chest tumours like chest wall tumors are growths that form in your chest wall, which is the protective structure surrounding your heart, lungs and liver.

What are Chest Wall Tumours?

A chest wall tumor is a growth that develops in the protective structure surrounding your heart, lungs and liver. Your chest wall is made of:

  • Soft tissues (muscles, nerves, fascia).

  • Bone.

  • Cartilage.

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Tumors can form in any of these components. However, they’re most likely to form in bone (especially your ribs) or cartilage.

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There are two main groups of chest wall tumors:

  • Primary chest wall tumors: Begin in your chest wall.

  • Secondary chest wall tumors: Begin somewhere else in your body and spread to your chest wall.

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Primary chest wall tumors may be either cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). Secondary chest wall tumors are always cancerous.

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What are the symptoms of Chest Wall Tumors?

Due to the pectus, patients may have less space in the chest, which can limit heart and lung function. The symptoms can be both physical and psychological.

 

Physical symptoms can include:

  • Shortness of breath with exercise.

  • Decreased stamina compared to peers.

  • Fatigue.

  • Chest pain.

  • Irregular heartbeat.

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Psychological symptoms can include:

  • Significant embarrassment from the appearance of the chest.

  • Self-esteem issues.

  • Clinical depression.

What causes Chest Wall Tumours?

There are no known causes of chest wall tumours. But in some cases, genetics seem to play a role. Also, lifestyle factors may raise your risk, especially for secondary chest wall tumors. For example, lung cancer can spread to your chest wall. So, smoking increases your risk for lung cancer, as well as for chest wall tumors.

How to treat Chest Wall Tumours?

Treatment for chest wall tumors usually includes:

  • Surgery (resection) to remove the tumor.

  • Reconstructive surgery to repair the damage the tumor caused to your chest wall.

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If the tumor is cancerous, you may also need:

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Your doctor will explain the best timing for your treatments. For example, your doctor may recommend you have chemotherapy before surgery to reduce the size of the tumour before its removal.

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Take control of your health. Make an appointment with us today.

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