A Rare Cause of Pleural Effusion in Adolescence: Ewing Sarcoma

Abstract

ABS TRACT Pleural effusion, defined as the accumulation of fluid within the pleural space, can manifest both as a result of local disease and as a sign of a systemic disorder. Efforts to determine the etiology should consider the patient's gender, age, symptoms, medical history and physical examination findings, and should be complemented by investigations focused on potential preliminary diagnoses. The present report describes an 18-year-old female with complaints of cough and back pain who underwent a chest X-ray at the time of presentation revealing a unilateral pleural effusion. The patient was diagnosed subsequently with an intraabdominal mass and Ewing sarcoma during follow-up. Our intention in presenting this patient is to highlight the occurrence of malignancies as an uncommon underlying cause of pleural effusion in adolescents.