Primary cardiac lymphoma: A case report

Abstract

A 83-year-old woman was admitted because of pretibial edema. Echocardiography demonstrated a huge tumor in the right atrium and ventricle. Transvenous biopsy failed to obtain sufficient specimens for the histological diagnosis. The tumor progressed rapidly and heart failure was intractable. The diagnosis was primary cardiac lymphoma on the basis of elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor and solitary accumulation of gallium-67 in the heart. Chemotherapy was immediately started. After two courses of chemotherapy, the intracardiac tumor disappeared. However, one month later, the tumor relapsed in the anterior mediastinum. Needle biopsy disclosed diffuse B-cell non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma. Additional irradiation reduced the tumor. Early diagnosis and immediate chemotherapy are important for the treatment of primary cardiac lymphoma.