Abstract
The pathological and clinical problems related to the tumours of the thoracic bones are surveyed. 34 cases of such tumours (27 of the ribs and 7 of the sternum) observed at the Cancer Institute of Milan are reported. These tumours are nearly always of malignant type, and the chondromatous forms are prevailing in the ribs whereas plasmocytomas are more frequent at the level of the sternum. Symptomatology is often moderate also in very malignant lesions, and in many cases a precise diagnosis is possible only after histological examination.
The therapy of choice is the surgical treatment and consists in wide removal of the affected rib, and often also of the adjoining ones with the intervening tissues. Suitable repairs of the residual gap are necessary in order to maintain the function of the thoracic wall.
Radiotherapy must be confined to ablastic tumours and reticulosarcomas, to all cases non susceptible of radical treatment and to recurrencies from previous interventions.
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