Symptomatic cardiac metastasis responding to pazopanib in a patient with renal cell carcinoma

Ramin Behzadigohar1, Mark A Rosenthal, Ben Tran

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Insights

This case study details an 82-year-old man with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who developed heart failure due to a cardiac metastasis. Treatment with pazopanib resulted in significant clinical and radiological improvement.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Oncology
  • Medical Case Reports

Background:

  • Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can rarely spread to the heart.
  • Cardiac metastases can lead to significant patient morbidity and mortality.

Observation:

  • An 82-year-old male patient with a history of indolent metastatic renal cell carcinoma presented with symptoms of heart failure.
  • Cardiac imaging revealed a large mass (44 mm) within the interventricular septum, diagnosed as a cardiac metastasis.

Findings:

  • The interventricular septal mass was identified as the cause of the patient's heart failure symptoms.
  • Initiation of pazopanib therapy led to a notable clinical improvement and a reduction in the size of the cardiac metastasis.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering cardiac metastasis in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma presenting with heart failure.
  • Pazopanib demonstrates potential efficacy in managing cardiac metastases from renal cell carcinoma.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms and optimal management of cardiac metastases in renal cell carcinoma.

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