No Hodgkin Linfoma diagnosis with intra-atrial infiltration

• Published in: Investigación clínica 2012-09, Vol.53 (3), p.289-300
• Main Authors: Alcocer Gamba, Marco Antonio, León González, Salvador, Castro Montes, Eliodoro, Loarca Piña, Luis Martín, Lugo Gavidia, Leslie Marisol, García Hernández, Enrique, González Galindo, Ulises, Paredes Serrano, Miguel Isaías
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Female; Heart Atria; Heart Neoplasms - diagnosis; Humans; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse - diagnosis; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0535-5133

Cardiac tumors are rare entities in clinical practice, with an incidence of 0.05%. Approximately 75% are benign and 25% malignant. Among these, Lymphomas are uncommon, representing about 0.25%. The non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur in extranodal tissues in 20% of the cases and 80% of these non-Hodgkin lymphomas are composed of diffuse B cells. The extranodal presentation is most frequent in young adults, with a high degree of malignancy and rapid growth. It can present with primary infiltration of various organs; cardiac involvement occurs in 20 to 28% of cases, usually located in the right chambers and with nonspecific symptoms, depending on the location and extent of the tumor. The diagnostic test in these cases is undoubtedly the biopsy of the lymph node or the affected tissue. We present the case of non-Hodgkin disease of diffuse large cells, with right intra-atrial involvement in a 23-year-old-female patient, who presented with progressive dyspnea. A transesophageal echocardiography was performed and an intra-atrial tumor mass was detected. A biopsy was performed, by femoral venous catheterization, allowing the establishment of the histopathological diagnosis and treatment. At a one year follow up, the patient shows complete remission.