Cardiac metastasis from primary anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: report of three cases and a review of the literature.

Abstract

Background: Clinically evident cardiac metastases from malignant neoplasms are uncommon. The frequency of thyroid metastasis to the heart is very low. To our knowledge, over the last 20 years only a few cases have been reported in the entire literature. Metastatic cardiac involvement occurs most often during the terminal stage. Patients: We present three cases of anaplastic thyroid cancer with metastatic involvement of the heart. Results: Two of the patients died from cardiac problems. The absence of early symptoms makes the clinical diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma difficult. Conclusions: Anaplastic thyroid cancer is an aggressive cancer with a dismal prognosis. It should be borne in mind as a source of cardiac metastasis and a cause of cardiac death.

Successful radiation treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the right cardiac atrium and ventricle in a pacemaker-dependent patient

“…Intracardiac metastases are reported from several different primary cancers, including melanoma, bladder[4], sarcoma[5], lung, lymphoma, breast carcinoma[6] and cervix [7]. Cardiac metastases from primary anaplastic thyroid carcinoma are rare - an autopsy series has reported the rate as 0 to 2% [2]. …”

“…Different routes of cancer spread have been reported, and include hematogenous, lymphatic, and direct extension to the heart or thoracic duct [2,8]. Retrograde lymphatic spread is predominant.…”

“…Metastases within the cardiac chambers are rare [6,9,10]. In primary anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, cardiac metastases have been reported in the myocardium and pericardium, as well as within the ventricles [2]. …”

“…Distant metastases - usually to lungs and bone - present early in the course of disease[1]. ATC is also one of the few cancers known to metastasize to the heart [2]. …”

Heart Failure as First Sign of Development of Cardiac Metastases in a Patient with Diagnosis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma on Treatment with Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitors: Differential Diagnoses and Clinical Management

“…Nevertheless, after a comprehensive literature review, we found only 15 case reports in the last 35 years [3, 4]. Thyroid cancer histologic subtypes more prone to develop cardiac metastases are anaplastic thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, and Hürthle cell cancer.…”