Intractable Ventricular Tachycardia Prior to an Overt Cardiac Tumor Mass of Metastatic Cardiac Rhabdomyosarcoma (Spindle-cell Type)

Intern Med. 2024 Jun 15;63(12):1725-1731. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2568-23. Epub 2023 Nov 6.

Abstract

We herein report a 37-year-old man who experienced recurrence of metastatic cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma along with intractable ventricular tachycardia (VT) 7 years after resection of rhabdomyosarcoma in his right elbow. At 36 years old, he developed VT unresponsive to radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Initially, the cardiac tumor was not detected, but it gradually grew in size at the RFCA site. A surgical biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite radiation therapy, cardiac tumor progression and VT instability could not be prevented. Ultimately, the patient died 27 months after the initial documentation of VT.

Keywords: cardiac sarcoma; cardio-oncology; rhabdomyosarcoma; ventricular tachycardia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Catheter Ablation
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Heart Neoplasms* / complications
  • Heart Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Neoplasms* / secondary
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / complications
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / diagnosis
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / pathology
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / secondary
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular* / diagnosis
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular* / etiology