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Published on: March 29, 2024
Right ventricular tumor in a patient with melanoma
Vinícius Daudt Morais1, Flávio Dalbem, Krás Borges
1Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. vdaudt@brturbo.com.br
Insights
Metastatic neoplasms frequently impact the heart, often exceeding 50% in postmortem studies. This case highlights a rare, large right ventricle metastatic melanoma mass, illustrating a guarded prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Primary cardiac tumors are rare, but secondary cardiac implants from metastatic neoplasms are common, found in over 50% of postmortem studies.
- Cardiac involvement in cancer patients can manifest as conduction disorders, murmurs, cardiomegaly, or arrhythmias.
Observation:
- A 39-year-old male presented with fatigue and dyspnea on effort.
- Echocardiogram revealed a large tumoral mass within the right ventricle.
- The patient had a history of melanoma with subsequent metastasis to the lungs, heart, and brain.
Findings:
- The case details a rare instance of a large metastatic melanoma mass in the right ventricle.
- This metastatic cardiac tumor led to a fatal outcome.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider metastatic disease in cancer patients presenting with cardiac symptoms or findings.
- Large metastatic cardiac masses, particularly in the right ventricle, represent a rare clinical condition with a poor prognosis.
- This case underscores the importance of thorough oncological evaluation in patients with unexplained cardiac abnormalities.
Abstract:
Primary tumors of the heart are not common. However, metastatic neoplasms affecting the heart are more commonly found. Postmortem studies have shown that some tumors have reported secondary cardiac implants to be over 50%. Such involvement is to be taken into account for patients with a history of neoplasm and who present conduction disorders, murmur, cardiomegaly or arrhythmia. This is to report the case of a 39-year-old man who had been referred due to fatigue and dyspnea on effort. Echocardiogram evidence showed large tumoral mass in right ventricle. Medical history showed previous melanoma; further evaluation showed metastasis to lungs, heart and brain. Outcome was death. The uniqueness in this case relies on the large metastatic mass in right ventricle, thus illustrating a rare clinical condition of guarded prognosis.
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