Heart failure caused by cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma

Kardiol Pol. 2008 Nov;66(11):1207-9.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma accounts for 20% of primary malignant cardiac tumours. We describe a woman with cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma. She had loss of appetite, loss of weight, and symptoms of heart failure. A mobile tumour in the left atrium, entering the left ventricle during diastole, was detected by transthoracic echocardiography. The tumour was removed surgically in total; histological diagnosis was rhabdomyosarcoma; however, the patient died after 6 months. In conclusion, primary malignant cardiac tumours can simulate heart failure or systemic disorders. Cardiac rhabdomyosarcomas have a poor prognosis with average survival of 6 months after diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / etiology*
  • Heart Neoplasms / complications*
  • Heart Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma / complications*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma / pathology