The 82-year-old male patient was admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery at PAU Hospitals due to cancer detected in his left lung in October 2024. Following the evaluations, the patient underwent surgery, and the cancerous part of his left lung was removed. Postoperative pathological examination determined that the tumor had been completely removed and that the surgical margins were clear.

During the patient’s follow-up, approximately one and a half years later, a new mass was detected in the left chest wall, affecting the ribs as well. Following the examinations and evaluations, it was decided that the patient should undergo surgery again.

Extensive Surgery Performed

During the operation performed by the Department of Thoracic Surgery team at PAU Hospitals, three ribs affected by the tumor, the surrounding muscle tissues, and part of the diaphragm were removed together with the tumor located in the chest wall. Due to the tumor’s extensive spread, the large defect that developed in the chest wall after the operation was reconstructed using a special surgical mesh, titanium plates, and screws.

The Thoracic Surgery team stated that the operation was a comprehensive and challenging procedure, particularly due to the patient’s advanced age, the tumor’s involvement of a large area of the chest wall, and the need to remove multiple anatomical structures together. The team noted that in such operations, in addition to removing the tumor with clear surgical margins, restoring the functional and structural integrity of the chest wall is also of great importance.

Tumor Removed with Clear Margins

Postoperative pathological examinations confirmed that the removed mass was cancerous. The evaluation determined that the entire tumor had been removed with clear surgical margins.

It was reported that the patient, who underwent postoperative follow-up, was placed under the care of the Department of Oncology for continued treatment and regular follow-up.

The operation represents a noteworthy example of the removal of cancerous tissue involving the chest wall through extensive surgery in an elderly patient and the reconstruction of the resulting extensive tissue loss using modern surgical techniques.