Giant Solitary Fibrous Tumour of Pleura

Most pleural neoplasms are metastatic in origin. Primary tumours of the pleura are rare and categorized as diffuse or localized. Diffuse or malignant mesothelioma is more common, related to asbestos exposure, and associated with a poor prognosis. Localized or solitary fibrous tumour (SFT), of the pleura is a less common neoplasm of controversial histogenesis and is unrelated to asbestos exposure. Surgical resection of benign solitary fibrous tumours is usually curative. We report a rare case of Giant solitary fibrous tumour of pleura with related literature. I n t r o d u c t i o n Solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) of pleura is a rare neoplasm arising from the submesothelial tissue underlying the mesothelial layer of the pleura. Primary tumours of pleura were divided into diffuse and localized form by Klemperer and Rabin in 1937.1 Diffuse pleural tumours or mesothelioma are more common than localized or solitary form. SFT of pleura constitutes less than 5% of pleural tumours, 80% arise from the visceral pleura and the remainder from parietal pleura. 2 SFT also affects other sites such as peritoneum, pericardium and in nonserosal sites such as lung parenchyma, upper respiratory tract, orbit, thyroid, parotid gland, or thymus. The origin of these tumours is controversial, and their nomenclature not consistent, with names such as fibroma, fibrosarcoma, localized fibrous mesothelioma, submesothelial fibroma, benign fibrous mesothelioma, etc.3 Generally, there is no apparent genetic predisposition for the tumour and no relationship to exposure to asbestos, tobacco, or any other environmental agent .