Case Report
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2009; 15(21): 2675-2678
Published online Jun 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.2675
Cardiac metastasis from colorectal cancer: A case report
Pyong Wha Choi, Chul Nam Kim, Sun Hee Chang, Woo Ik Chang, Chang Young Kim, Hyun Min Choi
Pyong Wha Choi, Chul Nam Kim, Department of Surgery, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 411-806, Goyang, South Korea
Sun Hee Chang, Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 411-806, Goyang, South Korea
Woo Ik Chang, Chang Young Kim, Department of Chest Surgery, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 411-806, Goyang, South Korea
Hyun Min Choi, Department of Internal Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 411-806, Goyang, South Korea
Author contributions: Choi PW performed the colorectal surgery and wrote the manuscript; Kim CN contributed the clinical data; Chang SH interpreted the histological and immunohistochemical data; Chang WI and Kim CY performed the cardiac surgery and contributed the clinical data; Choi HM contributed to the clinical data and performed the physical examination.
Correspondence to: Pyong Wha Choi, MD, Department of Surgery, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, 2240 Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 411-806, Goyang, South Korea. eacechoi@hanmail.net
Telephone: +82-31-9107622
Fax: +82-31-9107319
Received: March 9, 2009
Revised: April 29, 2009
Accepted: May 6, 2009
Published online: June 7, 2009
Abstract

The heart is an unusual site of metastasis from any malignancy. We report a case of cardiac metastasis from colorectal cancer. A 70-year-old woman was referred with a presumptive diagnosis of sigmoid colon cancer with cardiac myxoma. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed a 4 cm × 4.5 cm mobile mass on the lateral right atrial wall, and computed tomography revealed a low attenuated lobulating mass in the right atrium. The patient underwent anterior resection for sigmoid colon cancer (T4N2). Thereafter, she experienced progressive shortness of breath. Therefore, a cardiac operation was performed 2 wk after the colorectal operation. Histological examination revealed adenocarcinoma, which was identical to the primary lesion. Although two-dimensional echocardiography has become the diagnostic test of choice for detecting cardiac tumors, in patients with colorectal cancer showing a cardiac mass, further diagnostic evaluation such as a magnetic resonance imaging might be necessary.

Keywords: Heart; Cardiac metastasis; Colorectal cancer; Atrial myxoma; Magnetic resonance imaging