title: [Primary adenocarcinoma of the left atrium mimicking benign myxoma].
abstract: Primary tumors of the heart are rare, whereas cardiac metastases, most frequently from adenocarcinomas, occur in up to 20% of malignant tumors. We report about a 61-year-old female patient who was admitted with recurrent stress-induced dizziness, intermittent tachycardia and a fall due to a pre-syncope. Echocardiography showed a left atrial tumor with the typical features of a pediculated myxoma, leading to open heart surgery. However, histopathology revealed a 2.2 x 1.5 cm adenocarcinoma. The subsequent search for a primary tumor, including tumor markers and (18)F-FDG-PET, was unsuccessful, as was a second thorough diagnostic workup half a year later. The tumor was therefore classified as a primary cardiac adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik der Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55101 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schnabel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koniordos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohr-Kahaly
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Khaw
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors