Cardiac tamponade due to ovarian carcinoma

Fatal cardiac tamponade following cytoreductive surgery for serous carcinoma of the ovary

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Pericardial effusion may be present early in the disease process in patients with ovarian cancer.

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Even a small pericardial effusion may become clinically apparent in the setting of concomitant pleural effusion(s).

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Cardiac tamponade should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postoperative hemodynamic instability to facilitate timely intervention.

Malignant Pericardial Effusion in Ovarian Malignancy: A Treatable Oncologic Emergency

BACKGROUND

Pericardial tamponade is a life-threatening condition that can occur, albeit rarely, in patients with ovarian cancer. Whether or not prolonged survival is possible after such an event is debatable. Our aim was to describe our experience with seven ovarian cancer patients who experienced malignant cardiac tamponade at tumor diagnosis or at recurrence.

CASE REPORT

Six patients were treated with pericardiocentesis and one with pericardial fenestration. Survival after tamponade ranged from 3 to 72 weeks. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: We suggest that when pericardial effusion occurs in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, timely diagnosis and proper management might allow palliation and prolongation of life.

The natural history of pericardial tamponade secondary to recurrent ovarian carcinoma - A case report and review of the literature

•We report a case of malignant cardiac tamponade secondary to ovarian carcinoma•We emphasize the quick and fatal outcome of such a complication•It seems that aggressive treatment offers the longest overall survival.

Cervical adenocarcinoma presenting as a cardiac tamponade in a 57-year-old woman: a case report

Introduction

Pericardial effusion as a complication of malignant gynecological disorders is rare. Few cases of endometrial cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, ovarian cancer and uterine carcinosarcoma have been previously reported. We report the first case of cardiac tamponade secondary to a cervical adenocarcinoma.

Case presentation

A 54-year-old Caucasian woman, without any relevant medical history and no gynecological aftercare, was admitted to our hospital emergency room with severe dyspnea. Echocardiography revealed severe pericardial effusion with a swinging heart. An emergency pericardial drainage was performed through a pericardial window, which permitted the draining of 700 mL of bloody fluid and a pericardial biopsy. Cytological examination of the fluid revealed atypical cells, and the biopsy specimen showed tumor emboli suggestive of adenocarcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 35 mm cervical lesion indicative of an endocervical tumor. Exploratory laparoscopy revealed diffuse peritoneal lesions and histological examination of cervical curettage showed a poorly differentiated micropapillary adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Conclusion

Carcinomatous pericarditis as the first symptom of a malignant gynecological adenocarcinoma has not, to the best of our knowledge, been documented before. This case highlights the extreme severity of pericardial effusion secondary to cervical adenocarcinoma, a sign of advanced disease. Gynecological malignancies have to be considered in cases of neoplastic pericardial effusion.

Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade in a patient with metastatic vaginal adenocarcinoma

Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is a rare manifestation of metastatic gynecological cancer. A 35-year-old female was diagnosed with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina. Four years after partial vaginectomy, she developed regional recurrence and was treated with surgical excision followed by platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Six years later, the patient was diagnosed with lung metastases and received a combination adriamycin and platinum-based chemotherapy. Shortly after completing treatment, she presented with weakness and was found to be hypotensive on physical exam. Computed tomography scan confirmed a pericardial effusion with evidence of bilateral heart failure. She underwent an emergent pericardiocentesis and eventual pericardial window procedure. Metastatic adenocarcinoma of the vagina can present with malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. Therefore, gynecologists and gynecological oncologists need to be familiar with the diagnosis and management of this disease process.

Malignant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in endometrial adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Malignant pericardial effusion as a complication of gynecological cancers is a rare occurrence. A review of the literature revealed only two cases of pericardial effusion secondary to endometrial adenocarcinoma. We describe another patient with FIGO stage IIIA endometrial cancer who developed malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade.

CASE

A 57-year-old woman with a history of endometrial carcinoma presented with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. The patient had undergone total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, followed by three cycles of radiotherapy postoperatively. Chest X ray and echocardiogram confirmed the presence of pericardial effusion with impending cardiac tamponade. Pericardial biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma. The treatment consisted of emergency pericardial window and subsequent therapy with tamoxifen. A follow-up after 6 months revealed the patient to be asymptomatic.

CONCLUSION

Patients with cancer may develop a pericardial effusion for different reasons. Early diagnosis of the specific cause is not only useful but also essential in determination of the mode of therapy and estimation of prognosis.

Renal carcinoma presenting as cardiac tamponade: a case report and review of literature

Pericardial involvement in an advanced malignancy is common but malignancy presenting as cardiac tamponade is rather uncommon. Review of English literature using Medline CD ROM revealed 131 cases since 1935, who have presented with this life threatening emergency. Lung is the most common primary site followed by lymphomas and leukemias. We report a case of transitional cell carcinoma of kidney presenting as cardiac tamponade. Such a presentation of transitional cell carcinoma of kidney has never been reported.

Cardiac tamponade as the initial presentation of malignancy: is it as rare as previously supposed?

Advanced malignant disease frequently involves the heart and pericardium, and pericardial effusion is a common postmortem finding in such patients. Identification of pericardial effusions in life is uncommon, however, even when symptomatic. Cardiac tamponade occurring as the first presentation of malignancy appears to be uncommon. We present five cases of cardiac tamponade due to undiagnosed malignancy which presented to a general medical unit over 18 months. The availability of echocardiography was an important factor in correct diagnosis, since clinical features were non-specific. Bronchial adenocarcinoma was the cause in three of the five cases. Review of the literature confirms adenocarcinomas of the bronchus as the most common cause of this complication. The majority of cases have presented with large volume, haemorrhagic effusions, and cytology (with or without carcinoembryonic antigen measurement) was diagnostic in most patients. Immediate treatment with subxiphoid pericardiotomy is recommended; the role of balloon catheter pericardiotomy remains to be established. Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy appears to extend survival, which in some cases may be prolonged. We recommend that early echocardiography should be obtained in all patients presenting with apparent cardiac failure, since early treatment of malignant effusions provides symptomatic relief.

Critical Care of Intrathoracic Complications of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common underlying malignancy in cancer patients admitted to intensive care units. Because of the proximity to vital organs in the mediastinum, lung cancer frequently causes complications requiring critical care, including cardiac tamponade, central airway obstruction, massive hemopytsis, and superior vena cava syndrome. In addition, radiation and chemotherapeutic agents used to treat lung cancer may cause life-threatening pneumonitis in a minority of patients. There are several management options available for each complication. Educated decisions must be made based on individual patient circumstances. Technological advances have allowed for successful treatment of the majority of patients with such complications. For example, photoresection with the NdYAG laser can relieve dyspnea in 18% of patients with airway obstruction; hemorrhage can be controlled 80% of the time with bronchial artery embolization; and symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome may be relieved in more than 90% of patients. Although the median survival of cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit is relatively short, such interventions can effectively palliate symptoms and may prolong survival.