Lung cancer presenting as cardiac tamponade associated with transmural myocardial ischaemia.

Cardiac tamponade due to carcinomatous pericarditis is a life-threatening complication of malignancy and is uncommon as its initial manifestation [Chest 88 (1985) 70; Cancer 45 (1980) 1697; J Am Med Assoc 257 (1987) 1088]. A case of lung cancer presenting with cardiac tamponade associated with transient ST-segment elevation and life-threatening arrhythmias is presented. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of transmural myocardial ischaemia related to malignancy.