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Lipoma, Mediastinal

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Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

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Definition

Lipomas are benign tumors composed of mature fat. In the mediastinum, lipomas are exceedingly rare (Macchiarini and Ostertag 2004; Swanson 1991). Being most often documented in the anterior mediastinum, they are believed to be related to the normal thymic adipose tissue. Mediastinal lipoma may occur in the setting of lipoblastomatosis, a condition associated with obesity and abnormal systemic fat deposits.

Clinical Features

  • Incidence

    Less than 2% of all mediastinal tumors. However, this is an approximate estimation since these tumors are often difficult to separate from well-differentiated, lipoma-like liposarcoma and thymolipoma.

  • Age

    No significant age predilection.

  • Sex

    No sex predilection.

  • Site

    Commonly seen in the anterior mediastinum.

  • Treatment

    Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice.

  • Outcome

    Surgical resection is curative.

Macroscopy

Lipomas of the mediastinum are well-delimited firm masses with vague peripheral lobulation and a homogenous, yellow cut...

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References and Further Reading

  • Macchiarini, P., & Ostertag, H. (2004). Uncommon primary mediastinal tumours. Lancet Oncology, 5(2), 107–118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, P. E. (1991). Soft tissue neoplasma of the mediastinum. Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology, 8(1), 14–34.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Trieste School of Medicine, Trieste, Italy

    Giovanni Falconieri

Authors
  1. Giovanni Falconieri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giovanni Falconieri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, The University of Mississippi Medical School, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    Timothy Craig Allen

  2. Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Saul Suster

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Falconieri, G. (2018). Lipoma, Mediastinal. In: Allen, T.C., Suster, S. (eds) Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_28

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-66795-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-66796-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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