Tachyarrhythmia secondary to cardiac metastasis as first presentation of non-small-cell lung cancer

Elisa Maria Stroppa; Alessandro Malagoli; Luigi Cavanna

doi:10.1111/j.1759-7714.2011.00079.x

Tachyarrhythmia secondary to cardiac metastasis as first presentation of non-small-cell lung cancer

Thorac Cancer. 2012 May;3(2):197-199. doi: 10.1111/j.1759-7714.2011.00079.x.

Authors

Elisa Maria Stroppa¹, Alessandro Malagoli¹, Luigi Cavanna¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Oncology and Hematology, Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera "Guglielmo da Saliceto", Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliera "Guglielmo da Saliceto", Piacenza, Italy.

PMID: 28920292
DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-7714.2011.00079.x

Abstract

We describe a man who presented at our institution with tachyarrhythmia and dyspnea. Echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) of the chest performed during hospitalization revealed a mass within the left atrium. A biopsy of the mass showed a non-small-cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma G3. Metastatic involvement of the heart is rare; most cases are asymptomatic and diagnosed only during autopsies. Echocardiography, CT scan and MRI are complementary investigations in the evaluation of cardiac lesions. In the setting of cardiac metastatic cancer, all management is palliative.

Keywords: heart; lung cancer; metastasis.

Publication types

Case Reports