Primary cardiac angiosarcoma diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma (PCAS) is a malignancy seldom seen in pregnancy. A 23-year-old G1P0 Chinese female was found to have PCAS during her first trimester when she presented with tamponade physiology. The transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) results did not indicate the presence of an intracardiac lesion, and pericardial fluid cytology analysis showed no evidence of malignancy. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) exhibited a right atrial mass, and tissue biopsy indicated a high-grade angiosarcoma. MRI of the abdomen was suggestive of liver metastasis. She underwent an abortion and was started on combination chemotherapy, with a reduction in both the cardiac and liver masses. In cardiac angiosarcomas, advanced imaging modalities such as MRI should be utilised when there is high clinical suspicion or in the case of pregnancy when trying to minimise foetal harm. Prognosis is poor, and a standardised treatment protocol regardless of pregnancy continues to elude the medical community.

Perigraft hygroma mimicking recurrent angiosarcoma of the right atrium

“…Third, while recurrence is the cause of the high mortality [5], there were two reinterventions for suspected recurrence but they both turned out to be without signs of recurrent cancer. There are several cases reported in literature regarding the treatment and management of angiosarcoma in a pregnant woman [6][7][8][9]. All these cases are unique and treatment of the angiosarcoma was tailored to the patient's specific condition and the duration of the pregnancy.…”