Round-celled sarcoma of the anterior mediastinum : extensive metastasis, including the brain, both choroid coats, oculo-motor and optic nerves, and external ocular muscles / by Arthur V. Meigs and G. E. De Schweinitz.

  • Meigs, Arthur V. (Arthur Vincent), 1850-1912.
Date:
[1894]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Round-celled sarcoma of the anterior mediastinum : extensive metastasis, including the brain, both choroid coats, oculo-motor and optic nerves, and external ocular muscles / by Arthur V. Meigs and G. E. De Schweinitz. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    which were emaciated and shrunken. The history was that the tumor had existed only two weeks. This, taken in consideration with the fact that there had been severe dyspnoea for the same length of time, indicated strongly the presence of a rapidly growing intra-thoracic mass. Such a growth could only be a sarcoma, and the opinion was therefore expressed that the disease was mediastinal sarcoma. It seemed almost certain, too, in the light of the other case that has been described, that the staring of the eyeballs and nystagmus must be due to an invasion of some part of the ocular apparatus by metastatic sarcoma. Within three or four days a tumor showed itself in the other supra-clavicular space, the dyspnoea increased terriblj7, and he died. A post-mortem examination was made, and a sarcomatous tumor weighing one and a quarter pounds was found occupying the mediastinum. The growth surrounded the trachea, aorta, and other large bloodvessels, and there were secondary deposits ranging in size from that of a bean to a chestnut upon the diaphragm and posterior wall of the thorax. The post-mortem examina- tion does not appear to have been' very thoroughly made, for there is no mention of metastases to any of the organs, though such almost certainly must have existed, nor was any investi- gation of the brain or eyes made. It is much to be deplored that sections from the eyes and their appendages could not have been thoroughly examined with the microscope, for the disease had almost certainly invaded them. That which was observed in this case, imperfect as the investigation was, when taken in connection with the one more fully described, makes it desirable that metastases to the ocular apparatus in cases of mediastinal sarcoma should be sought for. It may be, too, that it occurs in cases of sarcoma arising in other situations than the mediastinum. The presence of the sarcomatous de- posits in the ocular apparatus might readily be overlooked, for there are hardly any gross appearances to be seen. It is reason- able to suppose that there was more sarcomatous deposit some- where in the brain than that in the pia mater of the cerebellum which has been described, and which could only have been discovered by careful microscopical examination.