[Metastatic cancer of the heart--a clinicopathologic study of 68 cases]

The study of 68 autopsy cases of metastatic cancer of the heart is reported. There were 41 male and 27 female. The age was from 26-89 years. The primary neoplasms are as follows: carcinoma of lung (26.5%), lymphosarcoma (14.7%), leukemia (11.8%), malignant melanoma (8.8%), carcinoma of breast (7.4%) and of kidney (7.4%). The laterality ratio of the heart was; right: left is 1:2. The myocardium was involved in 50 cases, the pericardium, 30 cases and the endocardium, 16 cases. 19 cases (27.9%) had symptoms referable to the metastatic disease in the heart. None of the patient was correctly diagnosed before death as to the metastatic lesion in the heart. 88.2% (60/68) of cases died of general metastases, in which 14 succumbed directly from metastatic cancer of the heart.