Angiosarcoma Presenting as Acute Rheumatic Pancarditis

IT IS WELL recognized that primary cardiac tumors are rare and present with no characteristic clinical picture. The total number of primary heart tumors, benign and malignant, in the literature, now approaches 500 cases.¹

Crenshaw² described 12 cases of primary malignant hemangioendothelioma (angiosarcoma) of the heart. This case which presented as acute rheumatic fever with pancarditis is the 13th case of primary angiosarcoma of the heart to be reported.

Report of a Case  A 26-year-old white woman was transferred to the US Air Force Hospital, Marsh Air Force Base, Calif, on Oct 7, 1960, from a civilian hospital where she had been admitted one day earlier for an episode of unconsciousness. The patient had been in excellent health until one month prior to admission when she developed generalized malaise. One week prior to admission substernal pain developed that was relieved by sitting up and leaning forward. The patient