Abstract

Melanoma is a neoplasm notorious for its dismal prognosis and its propensity for cardiac involvement. Roughly a third of patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma develop pulmonary, osseous, cerebral or hepatic metastatic disease ante mortem. In contrast, ante mortem cardiac involvement is reported in 2% of cases but in over 50% of patients with metastatic melanoma postmortem.1 Cardiac involvement is usually multifocal, believed to disseminate hematogenously and commonly involves the epicardium, myocardium, pericardium or may present as intracavitary tumors.2 The surgical management of cardiac tumors can be challenging, particularly when they occur in locations that make surgical access and resection technically difficult. Recent refinements in myocardial perfusion imaging, computerized tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging help provide precise information on anatomic location, vascularity, and tumor extension into adjacent mediastinal structures.3 Early detection of cardiac melanoma has important therapeutic and prognostic …

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