title: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the heart presenting as an atrial myxoma.
abstract: A 37-year-old woman presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of mitral stenosis and insufficiency. Subsequent evaluation demonstrated a left atrial tumor which was suspected clinically and at the time of initial surgery to be an atrial myxoma. Histologic examination revealed that the tumor was actually a malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Despite near total removal at surgery and subsequent radiotherapy, the tumor recurred within six months in the left atrium. Re-excision was followed by a third recurrence in the same site.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012008:Recurrence; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis