title: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma presenting with primary cardiac involvement.
abstract: Primary cardiac lymphoma is extremely uncommon. We report a case of a 54 year old Caucasian male with a history of non-small cell lung cancer treated by surgical resection who presented with chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. Computerized tomography (CT) imaging confirmed a 7.8×3.8 cm right atrial soft tissue mass infiltrating the lateral wall of the right atrium, and a 5 cm pericardiophrenic mass. Echocardiography confirmed a moderate pericardial effusion without tamponade physiology. Percutaneous biopsy of the pericardiophrenic mass revealed pathologic features diagnostic of NK/T-cell lymphoma. He received CHOP chemotherapy with some improvement in symptoms, but experienced radiographic progression after 2 cycles. He received palliative involved field radiotherapy but developed new sites of progressive disease within the abdomen and died shortly after completing radiotherapy. NK/T-cell lymphomas are aggressive tumors that may present with unusual extranodal disease sites. Prompt diagnosis with consideration for referral to a specialty center with experience in treatment of these rare tumors may offer the greatest potential for improving treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI;
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lepeak
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chang