[Extensive cardiac angiosarcoma in the course of immunosuppressive therapy after kidney transplant]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Oncology
• Transplant Surgery

Background:

• A 49-year-old male received a kidney transplant.
• Immunosuppression was intensified with azathioprine and steroids due to allograft rejection.

Observation:

• Six months post-transplant, the patient presented with palpitations and chest pain.
• Electrocardiogram revealed atrial fibrillation; echocardiogram showed pericardial effusion and a right atrial mass infiltrating adjacent structures.

Findings:

• Advanced imaging confirmed a large cardiac tumor involving the right atrium, ventricle, and superior vena cava, highly suggestive of angiosarcoma.
• Histopathological and electron microscopy analyses post-mortem confirmed the cardiac angiosarcoma diagnosis.

Implications:

• This case highlights a rare but aggressive cardiac angiosarcoma complication in a kidney transplant recipient.
• The findings underscore the importance of considering unusual cardiac pathologies in post-transplant patients with cardiac symptoms.