Of 7,840 patients autopsied at Memorial Hospital from 1950 through 1971 28 (0.35%) had infective endocarditis. The frequency of endocarditis in this population of patients with predominantly neoplastic diseases was not greater than that reported in general hospital populations. Infective endocarditis was not associated with any particular type of neoplastic disease. The causative organisms in order of decreasing frequency were Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, Gram-negative bacilli, and Candida species. Endocarditis clue to infection with Candida was a complication of indwelling venous catheters in three of the four patients reported. Of the cases of staphylococcal endocarditis, 77% occurred prior to 1964 and usually developed on an otherwise normal valve. Streptococcal endocarditis was more frequent after 1964, and the majority of these patients had preexisting valvular lesions. Staphylococcal endocarditis usually developed as a complication of infection in another organ, whereas the site of primary streptococcal infection was evident in only two of six patients. Infection was the immediate cause of death in 21 of the 28 patients. Twelve of these patients had no residual cancer at autopsy.
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Rosen et al. (1973) studied this question.