[Massive pericardial effusion during the course of hematological diseases]

7 patients, 4F/3M aged 20-63 years (x = 39.5 yrs) with high grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4 pts), Hodgkin's disease (1), acute leukaemia (1) and blastic crisis of CML (1), complicated by massive pericardial effusion with impending cardiac tamponade were presented. Symptoms of neoplastic pericardium infiltration have appeared at the diagnosis of underlying disease in 2 pts, in the remaining 5.5-24.5 months (mean = 12.5 months) since the diagnosis and onset of cytostatic treatment was established. In 6 pts pericadiocentesis or pericardium drainage have been applied, resulting in evacuation of 100-1450 ml (mean = 680 ml) of fluid. In 3 pts pericardial effusion was bloody and in two some neoplastic cells were found. In 4 pts intrapericardially 5-20 mg mitoxantrone, 5-20 mg, was administered 7 times. The survival time since the diagnosis of a massive pericardial effusion ranged 0.5-10 months. One person remains alive 7 months after diagnosis of cardiac effusion and 19 months from the diagnosis of n-HL. The authors conclude that pericardiac involvement in the course of haematologic malignancies is a very unfavorable event.