Recurrent Cardiac Tamponade from Right Atrial Angiosarcoma

Primary cardiac tumor: a case report of right atrial angiosarcoma and review of the literature

“…Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare cardiac tumor (9). Most tumors (approximately 90%) are located in the right atrium, originating from the lateral wall.…”

“…In this case, the cardiac angiosarcoma diagnosis was confirmed via immunohistochemical staining for endothelial markers, with CD31 a highly sensitive indicator of vascular tumors. ERG oncoprotein, an ETS family transcription factor, is a highly specific and sensitive marker for angiosarcoma (9).…”

Primary cardiac tumor: a case report of right atrial angiosarcoma and review of the literature

“…Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare cardiac tumor. 9 Most tumors (about 90%) are located in the right atrium, originating from the lateral wall, with the second most frequent location is the left atrium, followed by the right ventricle, and finally the left ventricle. 10,11 Our patient is a 76-year-old man with a tumor which be found on TTE examination located in the right atrium and the clinical symptoms are pericardial effusion and right heart failure, which are basically consistent with the epidemiological manifestations of angiosarcoma.…”

“…ERG oncoprotein, an ETS family transcription factor, is highly specific and sensitive for angiosarcoma. 9 Cardiac angiosarcoma has a dismal prognosis because of highly aggressive malignancy, rapid local infiltration and growth, high rate of systemic metastasis (more than 50% of patients have systemic metastasis at diagnosis) , 1,5 poor response to adjuvant therapy, lack of targeted therapy and other factors. 8,9 The most common site of metastasis is lung, followed by liver, brain, and bone, but metastases to lymph nodes, pancreas, spleen, mandible, adrenal glands and kidneys have also been reported.…”

“…9 Cardiac angiosarcoma has a dismal prognosis because of highly aggressive malignancy, rapid local infiltration and growth, high rate of systemic metastasis (more than 50% of patients have systemic metastasis at diagnosis) , 1,5 poor response to adjuvant therapy, lack of targeted therapy and other factors. 8,9 The most common site of metastasis is lung, followed by liver, brain, and bone, but metastases to lymph nodes, pancreas, spleen, mandible, adrenal glands and kidneys have also been reported. 1,7 According to the research of Blackmon SH, median overall survival (OS) of cardiac sarcoma is 12 months with 17 months for R0 resection and 6 months for R1 resection.…”