Elizabeth S Ellent1, Ronald Chong-Yik2, Abdul Mukhtadir Khan3. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA ; The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, LA. 3. Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cardiac angiosarcomas are an extremely rare tumor with an incidence of only 0.056%. Diagnosing this rare tumor becomes even more difficult as the presentation of cardiac angiosarcomas varies based on anatomic location. Depending on the tumor's proximity to valves, symptoms may be more consistent with heart failure, while growth throughout the conduction system may produce arrhythmias. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a young male with a significant tumor burden of cardiac angiosarcoma in his lungs whose symptoms included pleuritic chest pain and hemoptysis. This patient did not have the classic finding of right-sided heart failure; instead, his presenting complaint was hemoptysis. CONCLUSION: The diagnostician's differential diagnosis must be broad when encountering common chief complaints, such as hemoptysis and chest pain.
BACKGROUND:Cardiac angiosarcomas are an extremely rare tumor with an incidence of only 0.056%. Diagnosing this rare tumor becomes even more difficult as the presentation of cardiac angiosarcomas varies based on anatomic location. Depending on the tumor's proximity to valves, symptoms may be more consistent with heart failure, while growth throughout the conduction system may produce arrhythmias. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a young male with a significant tumor burden of cardiac angiosarcoma in his lungs whose symptoms included pleuritic chest pain and hemoptysis. This patient did not have the classic finding of right-sided heart failure; instead, his presenting complaint was hemoptysis. CONCLUSION: The diagnostician's differential diagnosis must be broad when encountering common chief complaints, such as hemoptysis and chest pain.
Authors: Andrew W Elbardissi; Joseph A Dearani; Richard C Daly; Charles J Mullany; Thomas A Orszulak; Francisco J Puga; Hartzell V Schaff Journal: Stroke Date: 2008-10-23 Impact factor: 7.914