A case of primary cardiac lymphoma located in the pericardial effusion

Primary cardiac lymphoma is a rare disorder with a poor prognosis. We present here a case of 77-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having cardiac lymphoma antemortem according to a cytologic examination of the pericardial effusion. Determination of the levels of serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor and serum deoxythymidine kinase was useful for the diagnosis. Echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and gallium scan revealed neither lymphadenopathy nor tumor in the heart, so she was diagnosed as having malignant lymphoma that probably originated from the pericardium. Systemic chemotherapy with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, farmorubicin, oncovin, and prednisolone) resulted in a complete resolution of the pericardial effusion. She has been in remission 48 months after discontinuation of the chemotherapy.