Primary right atrial sarcoma

Abstract

Primary malignant tumors of heart are rare with unfavorable prognosis and are mostly diagnosed on autopsy. They have varied presentation and are difficult to diagnose. Most of the cases are benign and others are sarcomas. Here we present a case of primary cardiac sarcoma which had varied presentation and was undiagnosed due to non specific symptoms. Diagnosis of atrial tumor was confirmed on histopathological examination of tissue obtained after thoracotomy. Being inoperable, the patient was given palliative chemotherapy with which we could provide her a better quality of life.

Primary cardiac sarcoma after breast cancer

“…Tumour type, growth rate, friability and invasiveness are also relevant factors that determine clinical features 3 5 10. Large tumours may be clinically silent and small tumours, in critical locations, may give rise to devastating consequences.…”

“…To our knowledge, only about 300 cases have been reported until date 5. The majority (75%) of cardiac masses is benign, presenting as myxomas, and approximately three-fourth of the malignant are sarcomas 2 3 5–9.…”

“…The majority (75%) of cardiac masses is benign, presenting as myxomas, and approximately three-fourth of the malignant are sarcomas 2 3 5–9. A diagnosis of sarcoma of the heart cannot be established with confidence preoperatively because signs, symptoms and images are non-specific 5 7 9. The authors describe a patient surviving at 36 months of follow-up after partial surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) for cardiac sarcoma, without tumour progression or metastasis, reviewing the literature for this unusual neoplasm.…”

Acute Liver Failure Due to Budd-Chiari Syndrome in the Setting of Cardiac Synovial Sarcoma

“… 1 , 2 These tumors typically have an unfavorable prognosis, with 1-year mortality reported to be as high as 50%, as there is often a delay in diagnosis until the patient is symptomatic from systemic embolization, myocardial infarction, valvular heart disease, or new-onset heart failure. 1 , 3 , 4 There is no consensus on therapeutic modalities for these tumors. 4 …”