[Malignant lymphoma and colon carcinoma 3 years after heart transplantation and immunosuppression]

Three years after heart transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy, a 66-year-old man suffered from dyspnea and showed symptoms mainly due to right heart failure. Malignant tumor cells were discovered within extensive pleural effusion. Computed tomography revealed two lesions of the liver suspicious of metastases, and recurrent blood in the stools was evident. The patient deteriorated rapidly and died 3 weeks after admission. Autopsy findings included an adenocarcinoma of the cecum (grade II) with metastases to the liver. High-grade immunoblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of plasmoblastic differentiation was diagnosed, located within the mediastinal soft tissues and infiltrating the peri- and myocardium. Mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged with histological verification of malignant lymphoma. The lymphatic tumor masses had caused considerable compression of the heart and vessels, leading to the signs of cardiac failure. The development of metastasizing colonic carcinoma and high-grade immunoblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 3 years after heart transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy must be considered an unusual combination. Malignent lymphomas following heart transplantation have been described several times.