Primary soft tissue chondroma of the anterior mediastinum: A case report and comprehensive literature review

Anterior mediastinal soft tissue chondroma is an exceedingly rare benign tumor that poses a diagnostic challenge due to its overlapping imaging features with more common mediastinal masses. Accurate diagnosis is crucial to ensure appropriate surgical management and avoid overtreatment of benign lesions. In the present case, a 36-year-old asymptomatic woman presented with a calcified anterior mediastinal mass incidentally detected on a routine chest computed tomography. Imaging showed a well-circumscribed, lobulated mass with punctate calcifications, suggestive of a benign etiology. The mass was resected and histopathological evaluation confirmed a diagnosis of soft tissue chondroma. Complete surgical resection was performed via median sternotomy without complications. The patient had an uneventful recovery and remained disease-free at the 6-month follow-up. This case emphasizes the need to consider anterior mediastinal soft tissue chondromas in the differential diagnosis of calcified mediastinal masses.