CASE REPORTS  THORACIC SECTION 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2002 August;43(4):559-61

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Severe hypoglycaemia associated with a giant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura

Filosso P. L., Oliaro A., Rena O., Papalia E., Ruffini E., Mancuso M.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Torino, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Torino, Italy

Sol­i­tary ­fibrous ­tumors (SFT) of the ­pleura are a ­rare neo­plasm, ­with ­benign bio­log­ical beha­viour. Recur­rences are ­rare, and no dis­tant metas­tases are ­described in the lit­er­a­ture. SFT can ­secrete hor­mone-­like sub­stances, respon­sible for par­a­neo­plastic syn­dromes. The ­authors ­describe a ­case of ­severe hypo­gly­caemia due to ­insulin-­like ­growth ­factor II (IGF-2)’s secre­tion by a ­giant SFT of the ­pleura. Hypo­gly­caemia was con­trolled by the resec­tion of the ­tumor. Diag­nosis and sur­gical man­age­ment of ­these neo­plasms are ­also dis­cussed.