title: Case report: malignant pericardial effusion as the initial manifestation of malignancy.
abstract: Although malignant pericardial effusion is a common complication of malignancy, it is rarely the initial manifestation. A case of a nonsmoking 36-year-old woman who had pericardial tamponade due to malignant pericardial effusion as the initial manifestation of malignancy is presented. Case reports of patients with malignant pericardial effusion as the initial manifestation of malignancy published since 1974 are reviewed. The clinical presentation, histology, and survival of these patients is compared with those cases published prior to 1974. Survival of patients with primary malignancy in the lung who present with malignant pericardial effusion has not improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, Augusta 30912.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fincher
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology*