Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cardiac metastases

  • Case Report
  • Published:
International Journal of Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report a case of esophageal cancer with symptomatic metastases to the heart; the patient was treated with short-course radiotherapy with good symptomatic relief. We reviewed the current literature regarding the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic tools, treatment modalities, and the prognosis of cardiac metastases. In this report we summarize the most recent autopsy studies (published between 1975 and 2007), in which we found an autopsy incidence of cardiac metastases of 2.3% among the general population, while the incidence among autopsies of cancer patients was 7.1%. Therefore, we share the opinion with others that there has been an increase in the incidence of cardiac metastases among cancer patients diagnosed after 1970, in comparison with the reported incidences in older series before 1970 (7.1% vs 3.8%; Kruskal-Wallis rank test; P = 0.039). Special attention was given to the role of radiotherapy in the management of cardiac metastases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abioye AA, Maolomo IM (1975) Prevalence of cardiac tumors at autopsy in Ibadan. Trop Geogr Med 27:25–30

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Abraham KP, Reddy V, Gattuso P (1999) Neoplasms metastatic to the heart: review of 3314 consecutive autopsies. Am J Cardiovasc Pathol 3:195–198

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ambrosio GB (1980) Frequency of cardiac metastases: review of 2222 autopsies and critical assessment. Arch Sci Med (Torino) 137:29–32

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Butany J, Leong SW, Carmichael K, Komeda M (2005) A 30-year analysis of cardiac neoplasms at autopsy. Can J Cardiol 21:675–680

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bussani R, De-Giorgio F, Abbate A, Silvestri F (2007) Cardiac metastases. J Clin Pathol 60:27–34

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Karwinski B, Svendsen E (1989) Trends in cardiac metastasis. APMIS 97:1018–1024

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lockwood WB, Broghamer WL Jr (1980) The changing prevalence of secondary cardiac neoplasms as related to cancer therapy. Cancer 45:2659–2662

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. MacGee W (1991) Metastatic and invasive tumours involving the heart in a geriatric population: A necropsy study. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol 419:183–189

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Rafajlovski S, Tatic V, Ilic S, Kanjuh V (2005) Frequency of metastatic tumors in the heart (in Serbian). Vojnosanit Pregl 62:915–920

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Silvestri F, Bussani R, Pavletic N, Mannone T (1997) Metastases of the heart and pericardium. G Ital Cardiol 27:1252–1255

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Xiong ZQ, Smith OD (1986) Metastatic cancer of the endocardium (in Chinese). Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi 8:386–388

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Tong ECK, Rubenfeld S (1968) Cardiac metastasis from myxoid liposarcoma emphasizing its radiosensitivity. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med 103:792–799

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chan HS, Sonley MJ, Moes CA, et al. (1985) Primary and secondary tumors of childhood involving the heart, pericardium and great vessels. A report of 75 cases and review of the literature. Cancer 56:825–836

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cates CU, Virmani R, Vaughn WK, Roberston RM (1986) Electrocardiographic markers of cardiac metastasis. Am Heart J 112:1297–1303

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Poole GV, Breyer RH, Holliday RH, et al. (1984) Tumors of the heart: surgical considerations. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 25:5–11

    Google Scholar 

  16. Shelburne SA, Aronson HS (1940) Tumors of the heart. Report of a secondary tumor of the heart involving the pericardium and the bundle of His with remission following deep roentgen-ray therapy. Ann Intern Med 14:728–736

    Google Scholar 

  17. Blotner H, Sosman MC (1944) X-ray therapy of the heart in a patient with leukaemia, heart block and hypertension: report of a case. N Engl J Med 230:793–796

    Google Scholar 

  18. Emami B, Lyman J, Brown A, et al. (1991) Tolerance of normal tissue to therapeutic irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 21:109–122

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Terry LN Jr, Kligerman MM (1970) Pericardial and myocardial involvement by lymphomas and leukemias: the role of radiotherapy. Cancer 25:1003–1008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Appelgivst P, Maamies T, Grohn P (1982) Emergency pericardiotomy as primary diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in malignant pericardial tamponade: report of three cases and review of literature. J Surg Oncol 21:18–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Devlin GP, Smyth D, Charleson HA, et al. (1996) Balloon pericardiostomy: a new therapeutic option for malignant pericardial effusion. Aust N Z J Med 26:556–558

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kralstein J, Frishman WH (1987) Malignant pericardial disease: diagnosis and treatment. Cardiol Clin 5:583–589

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Davis S, Rambotti P, Grignani F (1984) Intrapericardial tetracycline sclerosis in the treatment of malignant pericardial effusion: an analysis of 33 cases. J Clin Oncol 6:631–636

    Google Scholar 

  24. Firusian N (1980) 32P therapy of malignant pericardial effusions. Onkologie 3:12–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sugimoto T, Kobayashi M, Okabayashi T, et al. (2005) A case of recurrent breast cancer causing malignant pericardial effusion successfully managed with instillations of cisplatin (in Japanese). Gan To Kagaku Ryoho (Cancer and Chemotherapy) 32:1311–1313

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Groene Hilledijk 301, 3075 EA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Abrahim Al-Mamgani, Lizette Baartman, Margreet Baaijens, Ilse de Pree, Luca Incrocci & Peter C. Levendag

Authors
  1. Abrahim Al-Mamgani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lizette Baartman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Margreet Baaijens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ilse de Pree
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luca Incrocci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Peter C. Levendag
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abrahim Al-Mamgani.

Additional information

Conflict of interest notification: We (authors) hereby declare no actual or potential conflicts of interest concerning the material contained within this submission.

About this article

Cite this article

Al-Mamgani, A., Baartman, L., Baaijens, M. et al. Cardiac metastases. Int J Clin Oncol 13, 369–372 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-007-0749-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-007-0749-8

Key words

Search

Navigation