The mediastinum is a cavity that separates the lungs from the other structures in the chest. Generally, it is further divided into three main parts: anterior mediastinum, posterior mediastinum, and middle mediastinum. The borders of the mediastinum include the thoracic inlet superiorly, the diaphragm inferiorly, the spine posteriorly, the sternum anteriorly, and the pleural spaces laterally. Structures contained within the mediastinal cavity include the heart, aorta, esophagus, thymus, and trachea. The obtrusiveness of cancer and the severity of its signs and symptoms are dependent on its behavior within this visceral network. Cancers in the mediastinum can develop from structures that are anatomically located inside the mediastinum or that transverse through the mediastinum during development, and also from metastases or malignancies that originate elsewhere in the body.
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