Cardiac metastasis in uterine cervical cancer

Abstract

Purpose

Cardiac metastasis from cervical cancer is rare and only scarcely documented. We aim to present a new case and systematically summarize the available literature.

Materials and methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Central, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria. Results were screened via title, abstract, and full text. Additionally, the reference lists of all papers chosen for the review were screened.

Results

Eighty-one papers were identified, describing 86 cases in total. Cardiac metastasis occurred at all stages of cervical cancer and in all age groups. Median time from initial diagnosis to diagnosis of cardiac metastasis was 12 months. Patients mainly complained of dyspnea and chest pain, 60.8% had pathologic ECG (electrocardiographic) findings. The cardiac mass was most frequently detected by transthoracic echography. The most common tumor histology was squamous cell carcinoma. Chemotherapy and surgical interventions were the main treatment modalities. Median survival after diagnosis of cardiac metastasis was 3 months.

Conclusion

This largest review on cardiac metastases from cervical cancer confirmed the heart as a very infrequent site of metastasis. There are < 100 cases described in the literature, with very poor prognosis and undefined clinical management.