Keywords: cardiac angiosarcoma, stroke, embolism
Copyright © 2008 Vogelgesang et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd. This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited. Early detection and efficient therapy of cardiac angiosarcoma due to routine transesophageal echocardiography after cerebrovascular stroke Correspondence: Silke Vogelgesang Department of Pathology, University of Greifswald, F.-Loeffler-Str. 23e, 17475 Greifswald, Germany Tel +49 3834 865716 Fax +49 3834 865704 Email
silke.vogelgesang/at/uni-greifswald.de | ||||
Abstract Primary malignant cardiac tumors (cardiac angiosarcomas) are exceedingly rare. Since there are initially nonspecific or missing symptoms, these tumors are usually diagnosed only in an advanced, often incurable stage, after the large tumor mass elicits hemodynamic obstructive symptoms. A 59-year-old female presented with symptoms of cerebral ischemia. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed changes suggestive of stroke. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed an inhomogeneous, medium-echogenic, floating mass at the roof of the left atrium near the mouth of the right upper pulmonary vein, indicative of a thrombus. At surgery, a solitary tumor was completely enucleated. Histologically, cardiac angiosarcoma was diagnosed. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and was free of symptoms and recurrence of disease at 14 months follow-up. Due to the fortuitous appearance of clinical signs indicative of stroke, cardiac angiosarcoma was diagnosed and effectively treated at an early, nonmetastatic, and therefore potentially curable stage. Although cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare disease, it should be taken into consideration as a potential cause of cerebral embolic disease. Keywords: cardiac angiosarcoma, stroke, embolism | ||||