ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical features and surgical treatment of thoracic Castleman's disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical symptoms, pathological, laboratory, CT findings and results of surgery in 32 patients with Castleman's disease from June 1996 to November 2008 were evaluated. Among the 32 patients, there were 14 male and 18 female, aged from 16 to 48 years old with a mean age of 34.2 years old. Thirteen cases had symptoms including short of breath, irritable cough, or chest pain, while 14 cases had no symptoms. Mediastinal or hilar tumors were found by CT examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tumor was surgically removed in all the 32 patients except one died with anesthetic accident. Castleman's disease was conformed by pathology. Five cases were diagnosed as with paraneoplastic pemphigus, 3 of them were attacked by bronchiolitis obliterans. All 5 cases were failed by the use of prednisone. The signs of PNP were dissolved after operation, but pulmonary lesions failed to improve. There was no recurrence in all cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PNP and lung abnormalities are the rare and severe complications of thoracic Castleman's disease. Surgical resection of the tumor is the first choice for treatment.</p>