Recurrent pericardial effusion as initial manifestation of primary diffuse pericardial malignant mesothelioma
Friday, September 29th, 2006.
Clinical & Translational Oncology. 2006 Sep;8(9):694-6. [Link]
Molina Garrido MJ, Mora Rufete A, Rodriguez-Lescure A, Cascon Perez JD, Ardoy F, Guillen Ponce C, Carrato Mena A.
Department of Oncology. General Universitary Hospital from Elche, Alicante. Spain.
Abstract
The case of a 61-year-old woman who presented a recurrent symptomatic pericardial effusion and a malignant cardiac tamponade six months prior to the detection of a mediastinal anterior mass is described. Diffuse malignant pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed after mediastinal mass biopsy. The patient underwent further oncological evaluation followed by chemotherapy.
Glossary
- oncology
- (on-call-o-jee) the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
- detection
- finding disease. Early detection means that the disease is found at an early stage, before it has grown large or spread to other sites. Note many forms of cancer can reach an advanced stage without causing symptoms. Mammography can help to find breast cancer early, and the PSA blood test is useful in finding prostate cancer.
- chemotherapy
- (key-mo-THER-uh-pee) treatment with drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often used with surgery or radiation to treat cancer when the cancer has spread, when it has come back (recurred), or when there is a strong chance that it could recur.
- biopsy
- (buy-op-see) the removal of a sample of tissue to see whether cancer cells are present. There are several kinds of biopsies. In some, a very thin needle is used to draw fluid and cells from a lump. In a core biopsy, a larger needle is used to remove more tissue.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
