Chest wall tumors

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Stages

There is no single staging system for all chest wall tumors. Noncancerous tumors are not given cancer stages. Cancerous chest wall tumors are staged based on the specific type of cancer, such as bone sarcoma or soft tissue sarcoma.

Cancer staging tells how much cancer is present and whether it has spread. The stage may be based on:

  • The size and location of the tumor.
  • The tumor grade.
  • Whether nearby lymph nodes are involved.
  • Whether the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.

Many sarcomas can spread to the lungs. Your care team can explain the staging system used for your tumor and what the stage means for your treatment and outlook.

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Diagnosis & treatmentDoctors & departments
Sept. 03, 2026
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  2. Ewing sarcoma and undifferentiated small round cell sarcomas of bone and soft tissue treatment (PDQ) — Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/bone/hp/ewing-treatment-pdq. Accessed Aug. 8, 2026.
  3. Osteosarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of bone treatment (PDQ) —Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/bone/hp/osteosarcoma-treatment-pdq. Accessed Aug. 8, 2026.
  4. Strauss SJ, et al. Bone sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN-GENTURIS-ERN PaedCan clinical practice guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2021.08.1995.
  5. Gronchi A, et al. Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN-GENTURIS clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2021.07.006.
  6. Minervini F, et al. Benign tumors of the chest wall. Journal of Thoracic Disease. 2024; doi:10.21037/jtd-23-464.
  7. Tanaka S, et al. Primary chest wall sarcoma: Advances in surgical management and outcomes. European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology. 2025; doi:10.1007/s00590-025-04260-1.
  8. Gazendam A, et al. Impact of surgical margins in chest wall chondrosarcomas: A CanSaRCC study. Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2026; doi:10.1002/jso.70266.
  9. Chest wall tumors. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/oncology/tumors-of-the-lungs/chest-wall-tumors. Accessed Aug. 9, 2026.
  10. Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 28, 2026.
  11. Folpe AL, et al. Approach to the diagnosis of soft tissue tumors. In: Enzinger and Weiss's Soft Tissue Tumors. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2027. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 28, 2026.

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Chest wall tumors