OBJECTIVETo explore the causes, clinic diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of the chest.

METHODSThe clinical data of 12 patients with IMT were retrospectively analyzed including 9 male and 3 female patients aged 36 to 81 years (mean 60.08 years). Five patients underwent pulmonary lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection, 1 had partial lobectomy, 1 had mediastinal tumor resection and costectomy, and 2 received conservative treatment.

RESULTSAll the surgical patients recovered after surgery without lymph node metastasis detected by pathological examinations. In the follow-up lasting for 2 months to 5 years, no recurrence or metastasis occurred in these cases. In the 2 cases having conservative treatment, the tumor remained unchanged in one case at 3 month of follow-up and disappeared in the other case.

CONCLUSIONIMT in the chest is a rare benign tumor with a low incidence rate and malignancy. Pathological examination is reliable for definite diagnosis. Surgical operation is the primary therapeutic approach. All IMT patients should be closely followed up after the treatment.