title: Leiomyosarcoma of the left atrium: a case report.
abstract: Primary malignant cardiac tumors are uncommon, and cardiac leiomyosarcoma is extremely rare. We reported a case of left atrial (LA) leiomyosarcoma with unusual clinical manifestations. A 28-year-old female presented with unknown cause of fever, body weight loss and anemia for two months. Echocardiography and magnetic resonance image study disclosed a 5 x 3 x 3.6 cm3 lobulated mass in the LA with invasion to its posterior wall. Histologic and immuno-histochemical studies of the resected specimen revealed a picture of leiomyosarcoma. The patient improved after surgical resection and post-operative chemotherapy. The literature was reviewed with a discussion of the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment strategy of this rare tumor. Diagnosis of LA leiomyosarcoma is frequently delayed to make a very poor prognosis. Postoperative chemotherapy should be considered because of highly possible incomplete resection. However, an optimal treatment regimen remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin