title: Primary cardiac pleomorphic sarcoma presenting as back pain in an 18-year-old man.
abstract: Soft-tissue sarcoma is the most prevalent primary malignant cardiac tumor. This sarcoma usually presents with cardiac manifestations secondary to local obstruction or arrhythmias; very rarely does it present with initial symptoms of distant metastasis. We discuss the unusual case of an 18-year-old man who emergently presented with acute-on-chronic back pain. Imaging revealed a lesion on the 12th thoracic vertebra and a large mass arising from the left atrium. The cardiac mass was resected, and immunohistochemical analysis revealed it to be a pleomorphic sarcoma that had metastasized to the spine. The patient died 2 years later of diffuse metastases. In addition to the patient's case, we discuss the nature and treatment of cardiac sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Osama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alsara
authors.forename: Supratik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rayamajhi
authors.forename: Firas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skaf
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Abela
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Bone neoplasms/secondary; heart neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/surgery; sarcoma/complications/diagnosis/surgery
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