title: [Primary cardiac lymphoma presenting with complete atrioventricular block. Case report and review of the literature].
abstract: Primary cardiac lymphoma is very rare and clinical symptoms of cardiac involvement are unusual. The development of conduction defects as the first symptom of cardiac involvement is very uncommon. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with syncope and complete atrioventricular block due to large B-cell primary cardiac lymphoma. The patient showed a refractory pericardial effusion. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed the presence of a mass in the pericardial space. The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was made following open-chest biopsy of the heart. The clinical presentation of and the diagnostic approach to primary cardiac lymphoma are discussed. Atrioventricular block and refractory unexplained pericardial effusion and/or the existence of a cardiac mass should arouse the clinical suspicion of this rare malignancy.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Autonoma di Cardiologia, Ospedale Civile, Ivrea, TO. mussopa@libero.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Musso
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ronzani
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravera
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comoglio
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dalmasso
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000209:etiology*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone