Tumorectomy to Avoid Sudden Death by Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient with a Cardiac Tumor Originating from the Esophagus

Abstract

Tumor metastasis to the endocardium is rare. The patient was 58-year-old man who was given a diagnosis of a metastatic tumor to the right atrium and right ventricle. The tumor originated from the esophagus, and the patient was at risk of sudden death caused by acute pulmonary embolism. We performed tumorectomy to reduce the risk of sudden death. The postoperative course was satisfactory, and the tumorectomy was followed by chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate in such cases has been reported to be only approximately 11%. However, resection of tumor mass may be useful for improving postoperative QOL and reducing the risk of sudden death.