Does a Mediastinal Mass Hurt?

Symptoms often result from the pressure put by the tumors onto surrounding structures, such as the spinal cord, heart or the pericardium (the heart's lining), and may include: Cough. Shortness of breath. Chest pain (somewhat rare)

What does a mediastinal mass feel like?

Q: What are the symptoms of mediastinal tumors? A: Sixty percent of patients with mediastinal tumors experience symptoms. These include cough, feeling of fullness in the chest, shortness of breath, substernal pain, and weight loss.

What would cause a mediastinal mass?

Mediastinal masses are caused by a variety of cysts and tumors; likely causes differ by patient age and by location of the mass (anterior, middle, or posterior mediastinum). The masses may be asymptomatic (common in adults) or cause obstructive respiratory symptoms (more likely in children).