TITLE:
Primary Cardiac Lymphoma: Three Case Reports and a Review of the Literature
AUTHORS:
Clifford Michael Csizmar, Zohar Sachs, Zuzan Cayci, Lihong Bu, Michael Andrew Linden
KEYWORDS:
Primary Cardiac Lymphoma, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, Cardiac Tumors
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Blood Diseases,
Vol.11 No.4,
December
2,
2021
ABSTRACT: Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare entity that
comprises only 1% - 2% of all cardiac tumors. Due to their scarcity and
variable clinical presentation, early diagnosis is challenging. In this series,
three cases of PCL from a single institution are described, which highlight the
spectrum of presenting features and emphasize common principles. In the first
case, a 73-year-old male who presented with dyspnea was found to have a 12.1 cm
mass in the right ventricle. Biopsy via cardiac catheterization revealed
diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). He was
treated with chemoimmunotherapy and survived for two months. The second
case describes a 55-year-old female who presented with chest pain. Imaging
revealed a 3.1 cm right atrial mass and bilateral pleural effusions, with
cytology from the latter demonstrating DLBCL. She was lost to follow up after
three cycles of chemoimmunotherapy. In the last case, an 80-year-old female
presented with weakness. A 4.0 cm mass was discovered in the right atrium and
the patient expired shortly after admission. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of
DLBCL. These case summaries are followed by
a review of the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and
treatment outcomes of PCL.