[Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart--a case report]

The patient, a 33 year old male, had suffered from swelling of the chest, neck and face for 4 months; palpitation, chest and epigastrium pain, cough and yellowish sputum for 10 days before admission into our hospital. Blood routine and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were normal. By X-ray examination, the right upper mediastinum was obviously widened with the trachea displaced toward the left and pleural effusion was present on both sides. On day 5 of admission, the patient died of heart failure. The clinical diagnosis was not clear but lymphosarcoma or other malignant tumors in the mediastinum was suspected. Autopsy was performed. A large tumor 8 X 10 X 2.5 cm in size was found in the right atrium. The tumor had a short and broad pedicle (6 X 5 cm in diameter) connected with the upper part of the atrial wall. The histological diagnosis was primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart.