A case of lung adenocarcinoma with uncontrollable myocardial metastasis and pericardial effusion

Abstract

A 73-year-old Japanese man visited a local hospital due to palpitations and dyspnea. He was diagnosed as having lung cancer (adenocarcinoma, cTlaN2Mlb (BRA), stage IV), but he did not want to receive any anticancer medications, and was simply being observed. Several months later, he was referred to our hospital due to exacerbation of the dyspnea. His chest computed tomography revealed massive pericardial effusion, therefore he was diagnosed as having cardiac tamponade due to carcinomatous pericarditis and was immediately hospitalized. Upon admission, pericardial fenestration was firstly applied in order to drain pericardial effusion, and intraoperative cardiac findings showed suspicion of myocardial and pericardial metastasis. Immediately after the pericardiotomy, he suffered from cardiac arrest caused by shock. In lung cancer patients with pericardial effusion, even though it is rare, myocardial metastasis in addition to carcinomatous pericarditis and pericardial metastasis should be kept in mind.