Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
14:24
Percutaneous Contrast Echocardiography-guided Intramyocardial Injection and Cell Delivery in a Large Preclinical Model
Published on: January 21, 2018
Cardiac angiosarcoma management and outcomes: 20-year single-institution experience
Nicole J Look Hong1, Prakash K Pandalai, Jason L Hornick
1Division of Surgical Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. n.lookhong@utoronto.ca
Annals of Surgical Oncology
|April 6, 2012
Summary
Primary cardiac angiosarcoma (AS) has a poor prognosis, with most patients dying from disease progression. Attempting primary tumor resection may improve overall survival (OS) in cardiac AS patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Primary cardiac angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare and aggressive malignancy.
- Understanding its clinicopathologic features is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the clinicopathologic characteristics of primary cardiac angiosarcoma.
- To evaluate treatment strategies and outcomes for patients with cardiac AS.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of 18 patients with pathologically confirmed cardiac AS.
- Data reviewed from January 1990 to May 2011 at a tertiary referral center.
- Analysis included demographics, tumor characteristics, management, response, and survival.
Main Results:
- Most cardiac AS cases (89%) originated in the right atrium.
- At diagnosis, 56% of patients had metastatic disease.
- Primary tumor resection was associated with improved median overall survival (17 vs. 5 months, p = 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Cardiac AS is characterized by a poor prognosis and high mortality.
- Resection of the primary tumor, when feasible, may enhance survival.
- Disease progression remains the primary cause of death in most patients.
