The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 56, 564-566, Copyright © 1993 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Primary left atrial myxosarcoma
GJ Harris, FO Tio and FL Grover
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
A patient in whom rapidly progressive congestive heart failure developed
due to the presence of a left atrial myxosarcoma is described. The
histologic picture is consistent with the hypothesis that cardiac myxoid
tumors are neoplasms derived from undifferentiated cells found in the
endocardium. Unfortunately, most cardiac malignancies are detected too late
for curative resection, and palliation remains the mainstay of therapy.