Key result
Metastatic ovarian carcinoma myocardial invasion mimics STEMI with persistent ST-segment elevation despite negative troponins.
Why the study?
Cardiac metastasis from malignant tumors can rarely cause ECG changes mimicking STEMI, making proper diagnosis critical to avoid unnecessary or harmful interventions.
Case Report (n=1)
No
In cancer patients presenting with chest pain and persistent ST-segment elevation, negative cardiac troponins and prompt echocardiography can identify metastatic myocardial invasion and prevent unnecessary or harmful reperfusion therapies.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Echocardiography may distinguish myocardial metastasis from STEMI in cancer patients with negative troponins; case extends differential but leaves open generalizability.
Across the world the incidence of cancer is predicted to increase by 47% over the next 20 years. Increasingly, cardiologists will be faced with patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, who are receiving active treatment for cancer. On the other hand, metastasis of malignant tumors to the heart is not usual but can present with various clinical features such as pericardial effusion, heart failure, arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction. Rarely, they may cause characteristic electrocardiographic changes, resembling ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Decision making in this scenario is complex and requires detailed knowledge of the patient's cancer stage, response to cancer treatment, and overall prognosis. Proper diagnosis is critical in these patients to prevent unnecessary or even harmful interventions such as fibrinolytic therapy. We reported a 45-year-old woman with a history of ovarian carcinoma, who presented with atypical chest pain and ECG findings suggestive myocardial infarction. But after full investigation we realized these ECG changes were due to the myocardial invasion of the tumor not coronary atherosclerosis and obstruction.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Dehghani-Tafti et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Ovarian carcinoma with myocardial metastasis presenting as pseudo-STEMI (n=1). Myocardial invasion of metastatic ovarian carcinoma was evaluated on Clinical diagnosis and survival. Myocardial invasion by metastatic ovarian carcinoma in a 45-year-old woman caused persistent ST-segment elevation with negative troponins, mimicking STEMI prior to her death at 1 month.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: