Malignant pericardial effusion and pericardial tumor involvement secondary to cervical cancer

Antemortem discovery of a malignant pericardial effusion secondary to cervical cancer is uncommon and management should focus on symptom control.

A patient was diagnosed with widely metastatic cervical cancer following a simple hysterectomy for presumed benign etiology. Sixteen months later, she was diagnosed with pericardial tumor involvement and a malignant pericardial effusion resulting in severe dyspnea. The patient underwent a pericardial window procedure that temporarily alleviated her symptoms. She again developed symptoms 2 weeks following the procedure and ultimately elected supportive care.

Malignant pericardial effusion is a challenging clinical scenario. Although multiple treatment options exist, prognosis is poor and usually limited.