title: Early cardiac metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in 2 patients.
abstract: Cardiac metastasis from primary tumors is rare. Cardiac metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is rare; in the English-language medical literature, we read of only 4 patients with this condition. Here, we discuss the cases of 2 such patients who presented at our institution only a few months apart. In both, with the use of 2-dimensional echocardiography, we incidentally found cardiac metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Resection of the cardiac masses was precluded. These cases illustrate the usefulness of early cardiac evaluation with 2-dimensional echocardiography in patients with head and neck cancer and known metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Onwuchekwa
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Banchs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014463:Ultrasonography