Biomaterial Database

Primary malignant mesothelioma of the pericardium. 2011

Junaid Patel, and Mary N Sheppard

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK. junaid.patel@ic.ac.uk

Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma is an extremely rare tumor. One of the largest autopsy series gave an incidence of primary pericardial tumors of 0.0022%, of which mesothelioma is the most common type. A male predominance of the disease has been described, and the majority of cases occur in the fourth to seventh decades of life. Unlike peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma, there has been no definite correlation between asbestos exposure and pericardial disease. Malignant pericardial mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis with few successful treatment strategies and little benefit from radiation and chemotherapy. We report a case of a 66-year-old man who presented with shortness of breath, right shoulder pain, and peripheral edema of the lower limbs. A large pericardial effusion was seen on echocardiography, which was drained but the patient died the following day. A malignant tumor was found on autopsy and a final diagnosis of primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma was made following histopathological examination.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008654	Mesothelioma	A tumor derived from mesothelial tissue (peritoneum, pleura, pericardium). It appears as broad sheets of cells, with some regions containing spindle-shaped, sarcoma-like cells and other regions showing adenomatous patterns. Pleural mesotheliomas have been linked to exposure to asbestos. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Mesotheliomas
D010490	Pericardial Effusion	Fluid accumulation within the PERICARDIUM. Serous effusions are associated with pericardial diseases. Hemopericardium is associated with trauma. Lipid-containing effusion (chylopericardium) results from leakage of THORACIC DUCT. Severe cases can lead to CARDIAC TAMPONADE.	Chylopericardium,Hemopericardium,Chylopericardiums,Effusion, Pericardial,Effusions, Pericardial,Pericardial Effusions
D010496	Pericardium	A conical fibro-serous sac surrounding the HEART and the roots of the great vessels (AORTA; VENAE CAVAE; PULMONARY ARTERY). Pericardium consists of two sacs: the outer fibrous pericardium and the inner serous pericardium. The latter consists of an outer parietal layer facing the fibrous pericardium, and an inner visceral layer (epicardium) resting next to the heart, and a pericardial cavity between these two layers.	Epicardium,Fibrous Pericardium,Parietal Pericardium,Pericardial Cavity,Pericardial Space,Serous Pericardium,Visceral Pericardium,Cavities, Pericardial,Cavity, Pericardial,Pericardial Cavities,Pericardial Spaces,Pericardium, Fibrous,Pericardium, Parietal,Pericardium, Serous,Pericardium, Visceral,Pericardiums, Fibrous,Pericardiums, Serous,Serous Pericardiums,Space, Pericardial,Spaces, Pericardial
D002340	Carotid Artery Diseases	Pathological conditions involving the CAROTID ARTERIES, including the common, internal, and external carotid arteries. ATHEROSCLEROSIS and TRAUMA are relatively frequent causes of carotid artery pathology.	Carotid Atherosclerosis,Common Carotid Artery Disease,Internal Carotid Artery Disease,Arterial Diseases, Carotid,Arterial Diseases, Common Carotid,Arterial Diseases, External Carotid,Arterial Diseases, Internal Carotid,Atherosclerotic Disease, Carotid,Carotid Artery Disorders,Carotid Atherosclerotic Disease,Common Carotid Artery Diseases,External Carotid Artery Diseases,Internal Carotid Artery Diseases,Arterial Disease, Carotid,Artery Disease, Carotid,Artery Diseases, Carotid,Artery Disorder, Carotid,Artery Disorders, Carotid,Atherosclerotic Diseases, Carotid,Carotid Arterial Disease,Carotid Arterial Diseases,Carotid Artery Disease,Carotid Artery Disorder,Carotid Atheroscleroses,Carotid Atherosclerotic Diseases,Disorders, Carotid Artery
D005901	Glaucoma	An ocular disease, occurring in many forms, having as its primary characteristics an unstable or a sustained increase in the intraocular pressure which the eye cannot withstand without damage to its structure or impairment of its function. The consequences of the increased pressure may be manifested in a variety of symptoms, depending upon type and severity, such as excavation of the optic disk, hardness of the eyeball, corneal anesthesia, reduced visual acuity, seeing of colored halos around lights, disturbed dark adaptation, visual field defects, and headaches. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Glaucomas
D006338	Heart Neoplasms	Tumors in any part of the heart. They include primary cardiac tumors and metastatic tumors to the heart. Their interference with normal cardiac functions can cause a wide variety of symptoms including HEART FAILURE; CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS; or EMBOLISM.	Cardiac Cancer,Cardiac Carcinoma,Cardiac Neoplasms,Cardiac Tumor,Cardiac Tumors,Heart Cancer,Heart Tumor,Intracavitary Tumors of the Heart,Myocardial Tumors (Rhabdomyomas and Fibromas),Neoplasms, Cardiac,Neoplasms, Heart,Primary Cardiac Tumors, Childhood,Cancer, Cardiac,Cancer, Heart,Cancers, Cardiac,Cancers, Heart,Carcinoma, Cardiac,Carcinomas, Cardiac,Cardiac Cancers,Cardiac Carcinomas,Cardiac Neoplasm,Heart Cancers,Heart Neoplasm,Heart Tumors,Myocardial Tumor (Rhabdomyomas and Fibromas),Neoplasm, Cardiac,Neoplasm, Heart,Tumor, Cardiac,Tumor, Heart,Tumor, Myocardial (Rhabdomyomas and Fibromas),Tumors, Cardiac,Tumors, Heart,Tumors, Myocardial (Rhabdomyomas and Fibromas)
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000925	Anticoagulants	Agents that prevent BLOOD CLOTTING.	Anticoagulant Agent,Anticoagulant Drug,Anticoagulant,Anticoagulant Agents,Anticoagulant Drugs,Anticoagulation Agents,Indirect Thrombin Inhibitors,Agent, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulation,Drug, Anticoagulant,Drugs, Anticoagulant,Inhibitors, Indirect Thrombin,Thrombin Inhibitors, Indirect