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Prevalence of cardiac tumours at autopsy in Ibadan
Insights
Cardiac tumors are rare, with most being metastatic. Burkitt
Area of Science:
- Pathology
- Cardiology
- Oncology
Background:
- Reviewed 6064 necropsies from University College Hospital, Ibadan (7-year period).
- Investigated the incidence and characteristics of cardiac tumors.
- Examined the relationship between tumor frequency and cardiac involvement.
Observation:
- Cardiac tumors identified in 1.06% of autopsies (64/6064).
- 8.5% of all malignancies autopsied involved the heart (64/752).
- Primary cardiac tumors were rare (2/64); most were metastatic.
Findings:
- The right side of the heart showed higher involvement (31.38%).
- Burkitt's lymphoma was the most frequent cardiac tumor (30 cases, 8.24% of malignancies).
- Hepatocellular carcinoma, though more frequent, showed less cardiac involvement.
Implications:
- Highlights the significant cardiac susceptibility to secondary Burkitt's lymphoma.
- Suggests routine medical exams and awareness can aid ante-mortem diagnosis of intracardiac malignancy.
- Emphasizes correlating tumor frequency with cardiac involvement rates.
Abstract:
The post mortem specimens, protocols, slides and hospital case notes of 6064 necropsies carried out in the University College Hospital, Ibadan over a seven year period were reviewed. Cardiac tumours were found in 64 subjects (1.06%) of all autopsies and in 8.5% of all 752 malignancies that came to autopsy during the same period. Only two of these tumours arose primarily in the heart whilst the remaining were metastatic tumours. The right side of the heart was more often involved than any other part (31.38%). The tumour with the highest cardiac involvement was Burkitt's lymphoma with an incidence of 30 cases i.e. 8.24% of all malignancies; 0.48% of all necropsies studied; 53.6% of all Burkitt's lymphoma autopsied. The risk of associating the rate of cardiac involvement of any tumour with its index of higher frequency was emphasized in the light of the paucity of involvement in a more frequent malignancy (hepatocellular) carcinoma in this environment. Routine medical examination coupled with an awareness of the possible susceptibility of the heart to secondary involvement by Burkitt's lymphoma would aid ante-mortem diagnosis of intracardiac malignancy particularly in patients of Burkitt's lymphoma age group.