Overview
A chest wall tumor is a growth in the tissues that make up the outside of the chest. These tissues include the ribs, breastbone, cartilage, muscles, fat, blood vessels and nerves. The breastbone also is called the sternum.
Chest wall tumors may not be cancerous. That means they are benign. If they are cancerous, they are called malignant.
Some tumors start in the chest wall. These are called primary chest wall tumors. Cancer also can spread to the chest wall from another part of the body or grow into the chest wall from a nearby organ.
Treatment often depends on the type of tumor, where it is, how large it is and whether it has spread.
Types
Chest wall tumors are grouped by the kind of tissue where they begin. They also are grouped by whether they are noncancerous or cancerous. A biopsy is usually needed to find the exact type of tumor. During a biopsy, a small sample of tissue is removed and tested.
Noncancerous chest wall tumors
Noncancerous tumors are benign and do not spread to other parts of the body. An example is a lipoma. But some noncancerous chest wall tumors can grow large and cause pain or damage nearby tissues. Depending on the type, they may start in bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue, fat, blood vessels or nerves. Noncancerous chest wall tumors may still need treatment or close follow-up with your healthcare team.
Cancerous chest wall tumors
Many cancerous chest wall tumors are sarcomas. Sarcomas are cancers that start in bone or connective tissues. Sarcoma types that can affect the chest wall include:
- Chondrosarcoma. This cancer starts in cartilage. Cartilage is a strong, flexible type of connective tissue. Chondrosarcoma is one of the most common cancerous tumors that starts in the chest wall. In the chest wall, it often starts in a rib. Less often, it starts in the breastbone, also called the sternum.
- Ewing sarcoma. This cancer can start in bone or soft tissue. It often affects children, teens and young adults.
- Osteosarcoma. This cancer starts in bone-forming cells. Rarely, it can start in the ribs or other bones of the chest wall.
- Soft tissue sarcoma. Many types of soft tissue sarcoma can start in the muscles, fat, blood vessels, nerves and other soft tissues of the chest wall.
Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the type, size and location of the tumor. Possible symptoms include:
- A lump or growth on the chest wall that may get larger over time.
- Pain or tenderness in the chest wall. Tumors that start in bone or cartilage may be painful.
- Swelling in the chest wall.
- Trouble breathing if a large tumor presses on or affects nearby structures.
When to seek care
Contact your healthcare team if you have a new or growing lump on your chest wall. Also contact your care team if you have swelling or pain in the chest wall that does not go away or gets worse. These symptoms can happen with noncancerous or cancerous tumors. Your care team can decide whether you need tests.
Causes
For most chest wall tumors that start in the chest wall, the exact cause is not known. Cancer happens when changes in a cell let it grow and divide in a way that's not usual. (The gene changes and other factors involved can be different for each tumor type.
Some chest wall cancers are types of bone or soft tissue sarcoma. In a small number of people, conditions that are passed down through families or past radiation therapy can raise the chance of getting a sarcoma.
Risk factors
There are many different types of chest wall tumors. There is no single list of risk conditions. Most sarcomas happen in people who have no known risk factor.
Depending on the tumor type, things that may raise the risk of some sarcomas include:
- Age. Ewing sarcoma is more common in children and young adults. Chondrosarcoma is more common in older adults.
- Some cancer syndromes passed down through families. Some inherited conditions can raise the risk of bone or soft tissue sarcomas.
- Radiation therapy in the past. Rarely, a sarcoma can develop years after radiation treatment.