Pericardial Tumors - Metastatic - I

Virtually any metastatic tumor can invade the pericardial space and produce symptomatic pericarditis with effusion. However the most common metastatic tumors in clinical practice are carcinomas (from the lung or the breast) and lymphomas.


This micrograph shows a metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. The organizing fibrinous exudate contains metastatic tumor cells. Mild inflammatory infiltrate is noted in the fibrosa layer of the parietal pericardium. The inset shows a cluster of metastatic tumor cells with large pleomorphic nuclei in a channel lined by flat endothelial cells. (H&E stain and Movat pentachrome stain).

Another example of metastatic carcinoma to the pericardium is shown here.

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