Pericardial effusion as first evidence of malignancy in bronchogenic carcinoma

Two patients in whom the development of a malignant pericardial effusion lead to the diagnosis of an unsuspected bronchogenic carcinoma are presented. Pericardial involvement has rarely been described as the first manifestation of an underlying lung tumor. Histologic type in both cases was adenocarcinoma, the most commonly described pattern in this situation. In concurrence with previous reports, prognosis of patients with malignant pericardial effusion remains poor.