Key result
Chemotherapy shrinks primary cardiac lymphoma and resolves GI symptoms in a patient, suggesting referred pain.
Why the study?
Primary cardiac lymphoma can present with symptoms suggestive of gastrointestinal disease, complicating timely diagnosis and management.
Case Report (n=1)
Primary cardiac lymphoma can present with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, highlighting the importance of considering intrathoracic disease in patients with upper abdominal symptomatology.
May prompt cardiac evaluation in refractory upper GI symptoms; hypothesis-generating and requires confirmation beyond single cases.
We report a case of primary cardiac lymphoma in a patient who was not infected with human immunodeficiency virus and had symptoms suggestive of upper gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Examination revealed no GI abnormalities. Echocardiography, prompted by sudden development of congestive heart failure, revealed a large right atrial mass. Cardiac biopsy followed by staging evaluation indicated primary cardiac non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. After chemotherapy was begun, the tumor shrunk and GI symptoms resolved, suggesting an etiologic relationship by a referred pain mechanism. Unusual features of our case include the initial predominance of GI symptoms and the circumstances that led to diagnosis antemortem. The case also underscores the importance of considering intrathoracic disease in patients with upper abdominal symptomatology.
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Nakchbandi et al. (1997) conducted a case report in Primary cardiac lymphoma (n=1). Chemotherapy was evaluated on Tumor shrinkage and resolution of GI symptoms. Chemotherapy led to tumor shrinkage and resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms in a patient with primary cardiac lymphoma, suggesting an etiologic relationship via referred pain.
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