Pulmonary hypertension, resulting from tumor emboli to pulmonary arteries.

Abstract

A rare cause of pulmonary hypertension is exemplified by a patient who developed symptoms 11 years after carcinoma of the breast was treated. Cardiac catheterization was performed, The autopsy demonstrated mediastinal lymphadenopathy, rib cage tumor nodules, and microscopic carcinomatous emboli to the medium-sized and small pulmonary arteries. This case illustrates that obscure causes of pulmonary hypertension must be thoroughly investigated for metastatic cancer. In addition, the time interval between discovery of the neoplasm and development of pulmonary hypertension can span many years. Stomach carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and right atrial myxoma have been recorded as causes of metastatic pulmonary artery emboli. Other suggested sources are the kidney and liver. No definite clinical signs, symptoms or x-ray findings are characteristic of this condition.