Secondary Cardiac Tumors Research Articles

Intraventricular metastases from rectal-sigmoid adenocarcinoma

Secondary cardiac tumours are rare. The new diagnostic technology and more effective chemotherapy schedules for primary tumours, leading to a longer survival, have increased the frequency of such tumors. Adenocarcinoma accounted for around 40% of all metastases to the heart; the most frequently involved sites are pericardium and epicardium. We present a patient with an unusual intraventricular metastases from adenocarcinoma of rectal-sigmoid origin.

Cardiac tumors in infants and children.

Cardiac tumors in infants and children are extremely rare. Their clinical manifestations vary widely from asymptomatic presentations to life-threatening cardiac events. Improvements in diagnostic techniques, such as those offered by echocardiography, have made early detection of cardiac masses possible, with or without the presence of clinical symptoms. Fifteen pediatric cases of cardiac tumor were diagnosed at our institution between July 1989 and July 2002 (male-female ratio, 10:5; age range, one day to nine years). Eleven of the cases involved primary cardiac tumors [rhabdomyoma (n = 10) and fibroma (n = 1)]. Ninety percent of the rhabdomyomas (9/10) were associated with tuberous sclerosis. Four of the fifteen cases were secondary metastatic tumors [hepatoblastoma (n = 2), hepatoma (n = 1) and rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 1)]. Clinical manifestations of the cardiac tumors included shortness of breath (n = 5), seizure (n = 4), cardiac murmur (n = 6), and cyanosis (n = 3). Surgery was performed for three of 11 patients with primary cardiac tumor (27%) due to severe obstruction of flow (n = 2) and other cardiac defects (n = 1). The primary cardiac tumor spontaneously regressed in five of the tuberous sclerosis patients. All four of the patients with secondary cardiac tumors continued to receive chemotherapy, and only one of them subsequently experienced regression. Based on our experiences, we conclude that: 1) rhabdomyoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor in children; 2) most pediatric tumors are associated with tuberous sclerosis; 3) clinical presentation is determined by the tumor size and number of tumors, and whether expansion of the malignancy has resulted in cardiac blood-flow obstruction; 4) there is a strong possibility of regression of the primary cardiac tumor, with surgery recommended only when cardiac symptoms are severe; and, 5) unless there is a significant obstruction of blood flow, chemotherapy is still the treatment of choice for secondary cardiac tumors.

Characteristics of 161 Patients With Cardiac Tumors Diagnosed During 1993 and 1994 in Japan

We investigated clinical and pathologic characteristics of 161 patients with primary or secondary cardiac tumors diagnosed between 1993 and 1994 in Japan. The increased use of cardiovascular imaging, especially echocardiography, contributed to the early identification of small cardiac tumors, resulting in a reduction of the serious complications such as embolization.

Metástases cardíacas de tumor do cólon.

Antemortem diagnosis of cardiac metastasis is rarely observed. A case of cardiac metastasis from colon adenocarcinoma is reported. The diagnosis of an intracavitary mass of the right atrium and vegetant mass of the tricuspid valve was possible by two dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. The authors make a brief reference to the clinical and imaging features of secondary cardiac tumors, with special emphasis on echocardiography.

Urgent indications for surgery in primary or secondary cardiac neoplasm.

Ten patients underwent resection of primary or secondary cardiac tumor. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography per se accurately located the endoluminal cardiac mass in nine patients, and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a right atrial tumor in the tenth case. The indications for urgent surgery included prior embolic events (3 cases), syncopal attacks (2) or echocardiographic evidence of a multilobulated mass (2 cases). The operative strategy was standardized for atrial tumors, but for malignant myocardial neoplasm both the anatomic site and the extent of tumor growth determined the surgical procedure. Histologic examination showed myxoma in seven cases, fibroma in one and metastases of malignant melanoma in two cases. The course after resection of endoluminal benign tumor was uneventful apart from transient atrial fibrillation in four cases. Follow-up echocardiography (after 4-28 months) showed no recurrent growth. In both cases of intracardiac metastases there was recurrence within 6 to 8 months after resection of the growth.