Something inside the heart: a myxoid liposarcoma with cardiac involvement
Pedro Ribeiro1, J Lemos, A Vaz
1Serviço de Medicina Interna 1, Hospital de São Teotónio, Viseu, Portugal. pribeiromd@gmail.com
Summary
A rare myxoid liposarcoma case presented in a 70-year-old man with widespread disease, including a left ventricular mass. This cardiac tumor required palliative care due to advanced stage.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Liposarcomas are malignant tumors arising from fat cells.
- Intracardiac tumors are rare, with liposarcomas being exceptionally uncommon.
- Metastatic disease to the heart can occur from various primary cancers.
Observation:
- A 70-year-old male presented with constitutional symptoms including dry cough, dyspnea, and fatigue.
- Physical examination revealed a grade 3 heart murmur.
- Imaging studies (chest X-ray, CT scan) demonstrated bilateral pulmonary, pleural, and abdominal nodular masses, along with an intraventricular cardiac lesion.
Findings:
- Echocardiography confirmed a pedunculated left ventricular mass with ventricular wall infiltration.
- Biopsy analysis definitively diagnosed the masses as myxoid liposarcoma.
- The patient exhibited widespread metastatic disease.
Implications:
- This case highlights the rare presentation of myxoid liposarcoma with cardiac involvement.
- The findings underscore the importance of comprehensive imaging in diagnosing unexplained symptoms.
- Palliative care was deemed appropriate due to the advanced, widespread nature of the malignancy.
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