title: A case of primary pericardial undifferentiated sarcoma.
abstract: Primary pericardial sarcomas are extremely rare. The authors report a case of a 46-yr-old woman in whom a large mediastinal mass was discovered. The patient presented with cough, dyspnea, and orthopnea. Diagnostic investigations, such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and exploratory thoracotomy provided the evidence of a large mass in the mediastinum, attached by a broad base to the superior portion of the pericardium. A excisional biopsy was performed, and histologic examination of a biopsy specimen showed undifferentiated sarcoma. However, the complete removal of the mass was impossible due to adhesion to the adjacent great vessels. After the completion of the chemotherapy the patient was completely asymptomatic. However, follow-up transesophageal echocardiography showed a residual 3 x 4 cm-sized mass. The patient received the radiotherapy with a total dose of 55 Gy over 6 weeks. At present, there is no evidence of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Ho
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Seok Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Moo Rim
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ki Jung
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Seon Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Juhng
authors.forename: Jong Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D003371:Cough; D018450:Disease Progression; D004417:Dyspnea; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed