CARDIAC ANGIOSARCOMA REVEALED BY LUNG METASTASES

Cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare tumour with very poor prognosis especia lly in patients with metastatic disease. We present the case of a 43 y ear old patient with angiosarcoma revealed by open lung biopsy for mul tiple pulmonary metastases. Cardiac symptoms were limited to a moderat e pericarditis and no echocardiographic sign of heart tumour was obser ved. The clinical outcome was rapidly fatal despite chemotherapy. The cardiac primary tumour was diagnosed at autopsy. We emphasize the diff iculties of diagnosing cardiac angiosarcoma and confirm the limited va lue of echocardiography for this diagnosis.