Cardiac sarcoma presenting as paraneoplastic arthritis and clubbing: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Abstract Background Cardiac tumours are rare, and clinical manifestations depend on the anatomical location. Symptoms can be the result of cardiac outflow anomalies, constitutional features such as fever, loss of weight, and/or paraneoplastic manifestations such as arthritis. To date, there has only been one other case report in the literature of cardiac sarcoma presenting as paraneoplastic arthropathy. Case presentation A 52-year-old woman presented with acute onset corticosteroid-resistant inflammatory polyarthralgia, clubbing and a systolic murmur. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a dilated left atrium with an echogenic mass and brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple embolic infarcts. Histopathology following emergency resection showed a Grade 3 left atrial intimal sarcoma. The polyarthralgia and clubbing resolved soon after tumour removal. The patient went on to receive chemotherapy and remains in remission. Conclusions This case highlights the rare paraneoplastic association of cardiac sarcoma and arthropathy.