cardiac angiosarcoma

Epidemiology

• most common primary cardiac malignant neoplasm

Pathology

• typically arise from the right atrium involving wall of right atrium
• often associated with pericardial effusion
• highly vascular neoplasms
• metastases to the lung, liver, lymphatics, bone & adrenal gland common

Clinical manifestations

• chest pain & dyspnea most common presenting symptoms

Diagnostic procedures

• pericardiocentesis shows serosanginous, bloody fluid
  • cytology often negative for malignancy
• tissue biopsy often required for diagnosis

Radiology

• cardiac computed tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate from right atrial myxoma

Differential diagnosis

• right atrial myxoma

Management

• surgical resection with adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• prognosis
  • most patients die in 6-12 months
  • even with complete surgical resection, survival is < 2 years for most patients

More general terms

• hemangiosarcoma; angiosarcoma
• cardiac neoplasm