title: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma invading right ventricular myocardium without caval involvement.
abstract: We examined a 56-year-old man who presented with dyspnea and lower extremity edema. A 2-D echocardiogram showed a large mass within the right ventricle which spared the right atrium and the inferior vena cava. Pathologic evaluation identified a renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid features. The tumor had metastasized to and invaded the right ventricular myocardium without right atrial or caval involvement. This pattern of metastases is rare and suggests that this tumor's aggressive nature contributed to the degree of myocardial invasion as well as the patient's rapid demise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami Beach, Florida 33140, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santo-Tomas
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Mahr
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Agatston
mesh_terms: D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004452:Echocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery