Isolated cardiac metastasis from squamous cell esophageal cancer

Tumori. 2015 Jul 24;101(4):e118-21. doi: 10.5301/tj.5000324.

Abstract

Although heart metastases are uncommon and generally a sign of disseminated disease, they are up to 40 times more frequent than primary cancers of the heart, and typically arise from melanoma or primary mediastinal cancer, but also from lymphoma, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and leukemia. They are usually asymptomatic and found only at autopsy. Symptomatic patients generally die within a few weeks of diagnosis and usual treatments are chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both. Surgical resection is recommended only for a single lesion, which is rare. We describe a 49-year-old man treated for squamous cell cancer of the esophagus in whom a single asymptomatic left heart metastasis was discovered incidentally during follow-up. The lesion was debulked surgically and multimodal treatment followed. The patient survived 1 year after diagnosis with good performance status during which time no other lesion was discovered. Cardiac metastasis is challenging and necessitates skilled multidisciplinary management to maximize the clinical outcome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Cytoreduction Surgical Procedures*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / therapy
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Heart Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Heart Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Incidental Findings*
  • Jejunal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Jejunal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Jejunal Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team