title: Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade in ovarian adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is an uncommon metastatic manifestation of gynecologic cancers. We describe a patient with ovarian cancer who developed pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade and was successfully treated with pericardiocentesis and intrapericardial instillation of thiotepa.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 52-year-old woman with stage IV ovarian adenocarcinoma presented with worsening cough, dyspnea, and fatigue. Chest X-ray and echocardiogram confirmed the presence of pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. Pericardial fluid cytology revealed adenocarcinoma. Treatment consisted of pericardiocentesis with thiotepa sclerotherapy. She survived 12 months post-therapy without recurrent pericardial tamponade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with gynecologic cancers may develop a pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. Malignant pericardial effusion should be included in the differential diagnosis in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who present with cardiac tamponade.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Emily E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Alireza A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shamshirsaz
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Demetroulis
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Goodheart
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology*