Case report and literature review: surgical treatment of a right atrial metastatic melanoma from a previously resected "advanced" primary site with regional lymph nodes involvement.
Although melanoma of the right atrium is a rare cardiac tumor, melanoma in general has a high propensity to involve the heart. Unfortunately, however, when the tumor is involving the heart, widespread metastasis ensues and hence surgery becomes a questionable option. We report a case of a young female who presented with an advanced skin primary melanoma and regional lymph node involvement and a metastasis into the right atrium. Postoperatively tumor dissemination was controlled with adjuvant chemotherapy. A vigorous attempt aiming at tumor clearance followed by adjuvant multimodality therapy along with a tumor surveillance program may improve survival even in advanced cases.
Cardiothoracic Department, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Rd, Belfast, BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland, UK. hparissis@yahoo.co.uk
Haralabos
H
Parissis
Bassel Suffian
BS
Al-Alao
Vincent K
VK
Young
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001415:Back; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor