Right atrial cardiac myxoma with malignant transformation to undifferentiated sarcoma: A case report

Cardiovasc Pathol. 2024 Nov-Dec:73:107676. doi: 10.1016/j.carpath.2024.107676. Epub 2024 Jul 23.

Abstract

Generally, sarcomas arising from benign soft tissue are rare. Cardiac myxoma (CM) is a benign tumor, and few reports have described its malignant transformation. Herein, we documented a case of an 89-year-old man with prostate cancer and a 5-year history of a right atrium tumor without Carney complex. The tumor was resected surgically and had a myxomatous or gelatinous appearance. Microscopically, the tumor had two components: a sarcomatous area and myxomatous area. In the myxomatous area, typical myxoma cells were demonstrable and were strongly immunoreactive for immunohistochemistry (IHC) of calretinin. In the sarcomatous area, the epithelioid- to spindle-shaped cells with prominent atypia proliferated densely. The IHC profile of cells in the sarcomatous area was different from that of cells in the myxomatous area; MDM2-positive cells were found only in the sarcomatous area. Especially, the Ki-67 index and number of p53-positive cells in the sarcomatous area were higher than those in the myxomatous area. The transition of the two components was seamless. Thus, we made a diagnosis of CM with malignant transformation corresponding to undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas. This case suggests that CM may transform into sarcoma, albeit rarely.

Keywords: Cardiac myxoma; Malignant change; Malignant transformation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor* / analysis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor* / metabolism
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic* / pathology
  • Heart Atria* / chemistry
  • Heart Atria* / pathology
  • Heart Atria* / surgery
  • Heart Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Heart Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry*
  • Male
  • Myxoma* / pathology
  • Myxoma* / surgery
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / analysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / metabolism
  • Sarcoma* / chemistry
  • Sarcoma* / pathology
  • Sarcoma* / surgery

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2
  • MDM2 protein, human