Primary malignant cardiac tumor: an analysis of seven cases.
BACKGROUND
Primary malignant cardiac tumor is a rare disorder which has a myriad of clinical manifestations. It dominates about one-fourth of all cardiac tumors, exhibiting typically malignant histological characteristics and invasive behavior.


METHODS
Seven cases of primary malignant cardiac tumor were collected over eight years (1985-1993) in this hospital. Each case had different manifestations. All cases were diagnosed by physical examination, echocardiogram and were subsequently proved by tissue pathology.


RESULTS
The majority of these seven cases of primary malignant cardiac tumor had clinical symptoms of chest distress, shortness of breath and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. The relatively young ages of the patients ranged from 11 to 62 years. One case of angiosarcoma, one case of fibrosarcoma, one case of leiomyosarcoma and three cases of lymphoma had the characteristics of cardiac hemodynamic obstruction which was induced by location and size of the tumors in the heart. Five cases of those primary malignant cardiac tumor were mortal; the average life span was nine months following surgical resection and chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
From a clinical viewpoint, primary malignant cardiac tumor characteristically displays a rapid downhill course. Death most often occurs from a few weeks to two years after the onset of symptoms. Because these tumors are rare and have a poor clinical outcome, early diagnosis and treatment are vital.
Jae-Kuo
Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Lai
W Y
WY
Young
M S
MS
Ding
Y A
YA
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis