Secondary tumors of the heart

Malignant melanoma metastasizing to the heart

This is a metastatic involvement of the heart:

• no tumor (with the exception of malignant melanoma ) metastasizes exclusively to the heart,
• cardiac metastases: malignant melanoma , bronchogenic carcinoma , breast carcinoma
• clinically: acute pericarditis, cardiac tamponade, rapid enlargement of the cardiac shadow, arrhythmia incl. atrioventricular blocks, rapid development of heart failure (however, 90% of metastases are clinically silent
• therapy: hl. palliation: pericardiocentesis for effusion, radiotherapy , chemotherapy

Links

References

• KLENER, P. Internal Medicine. 3. edition. Galén, 2006. ISBN 80-7262-430-X.