[The heart: a spectator or participant in neoplasms? Neoplastic subacute cor pulmonale]

Neoplastic subacute cor pulmonale is a distinct clinical syndrome that is often not too easily diagnosed. Such rapid development of cor pulmonale is observed in a patient with lymphangitis carcinomatosa of the lung consecutive to a cancer of the stomach with splenic, pancreatic and lymph nodes invasion. Diagnosis was established on transition of the normal ECG to a typical pattern of cor pulmonale and was revealed by chest roentgenographic examination (interstitial syndrome finding) and fatal evolution of severe respiratory failure. Necroptic and pathological studies confirmed histologic lung involvement by tumoral emboli and lymphangitic carcinoma the tosis and documented neoplasm in the stomach.