Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma of the Anterior Mediastinum: A Rare Case

Introduction

Liposarcoma accounts for approximately 14 % of all malignant soft-tissue tumors, regardless of anatomical location (Kransdorf MJ et al. Imaging of soft tissue tumors. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014). Primary mediastinal liposarcomas are rare. Liposarcoma is classified into four histologic subtypes: Myxoid/round cell, pleomorphic, atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma occurs most commonly in the retroperitoneum and in the soft tissues of the extremities. Like atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma, it is characterized by amplification of MDM2 and CDK4 genes on chromosome 12 (Crago AM et al. Curr Opin Oncol 2011; 23: 373 – 378). Possible symptoms of mediastinal liposarcoma are dyspnea, wheezing, chest pain, cough, superior vena cava syndrome, and weight loss (Macchiarini P et al. Lancet Oncol 2004; 5: 107 – 118).