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[Cardiac localization of non Hodgkin's lymphoma: a study on four cases]
M Mikdame1, K Ennibi, L Bahrouch
1Service de médecine A, hôpital militaire d'instruction Mohammed V, Rabat, Maroc. mikdamemed@yahoo.fr <mikdamemed@yahoo.fr>
Insights
Cardiac lymphoma, a rare but under-diagnosed condition, often presents late. Despite advances in lymphoma treatment, the prognosis for cardiac lymphoma remains poor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac involvement in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is uncommon, typically occurring in advanced stages.
- Autopsy studies reveal a higher frequency of cardiac NHL than clinically diagnosed cases, suggesting under-diagnosis.
Observation:
- This report details four cases of cardiac NHL with diverse clinical presentations.
- Echocardiography is a valuable tool for detecting cardiac lymphoma, which can affect any part of the heart.
- Histological confirmation of cardiac lymphoma can be challenging.
Findings:
- Cardiac lymphoma manifestations are varied and lack specificity.
- Diagnostic difficulties exist in obtaining definitive histological proof of cardiac involvement.
Implications:
- The prognosis for patients with cardiac lymphoma is poor, even with current lymphoma treatment advancements.
- Increased awareness and improved diagnostic strategies are needed for better management of cardiac lymphoma.
Introduction:
Cardiac localization of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is rare and usually seen in the latest phase of the disease. However, its frequency is certainly under-estimated because 20% of patients who die of lymphoma have a heart involvement at autopsy.
Exegesis:
We report four cases of cardiac involvement of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with various revelation modalities. Features of cardiac lymphoma are multiple and not specific. Echocardiography can be helpful in finding cardiac localizations, which can involve every cardiac structure. Histological proof of such an involvement is sometimes difficult to obtain.
Conclusion:
Prognosis of cardiac lymphoma remains poor despite the real progress in the treatment of lymphomas.