Cardiac involvement in lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma

Abstract

Cardiac involvement was found at autopsy in 15 per cent of 170 patients who died of lymphosarcoma and in 27 per cent of 41 patients who died of reticulum cell sarcoma. The heart and epicardium were involved more frequently than the pericardium, which suggests that cardiac lesions arise from hematogenous dissemination rather than by direct extension from mediastinal tumor masses. Pericardial effusion appeared to be associated with myocardial and epicardial infiltration rather than with pericardial involvement; the presence of bloody pericardial fluid suggested infiltration of the epicardium. Except for pericardial friction rub and clinically demonstrable pericardial effusion, there were no clinical or electrocardiographic manifestations which represented reliable signs of cardiac involvement.