title: The variations in the immunologic features and interleukin-6 levels for the surgical treatment of cardiac myxomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we propose the existence of a relationship between cardiac myxomas and the immunologic features or interleukin-6 (IL-6), while also considering the optimal treatment of cardiac myxoma, especially "familial myxoma."
  
  
  METHODS
  In a 19-year period at our hospital, 20 patients underwent 21 operations for cardiac myxomas. The immunologic features and the IL-6 levels were measured pre-operatively in 13 cases and post-operatively in 10 cases. A case of "familial myxoma" was diagnosed based on molecular genetic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No patients died in the hospital. The tumor size correlated with the preoperative IL-6 and/or alpha1-globulin values (P < 0.05). In addition, all of the immunologic features and IL-6 levels normalized by 4 weeks after surgery. "Familial myxoma" demonstrated recurrence without showing increases in either the immunologic features, inflammatory signs, or serum IL-6 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with cardiac myxoma should therefore be operated on immediately because the possibility that the tumor size might be large when IL-6 and/or alpha1-globulin values are high. In addition, cases of "familial myxoma" require careful observation and periodic echocardiography after surgery to identify any possible recurrence. Recently, molecular genetic analyses are therefore considered to be an important diagnostic tool for cardiac myxoma, especially "familial myxoma." Our "familial myxoma" case demonstrated a C769T PRKAR1a mutation, which has also been observed in other cases of "familial myxoma."
authors: Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Toho University School of Medicine, 6-11-1 Omori-nishi, Tokyo 143-8541, Japan.
authors: Hiroki
authors: H
authors: Yokomuro
authors: Katsunori
authors: K
authors: Yoshihara
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Watanabe
authors: Noritsugu
authors: N
authors: Shiono
authors: Nobuya
authors: N
authors: Koyama
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Takanashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009232:Myxoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6
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