Secondary Cardiac T-Cell Lymphoma Presenting with Syncope and Refractory Complete Atrioventricular Block: A Case Report

J Tehran Heart Cent. 2020 Oct;15(4):183-188. doi: 10.18502/jthc.v15i4.5945.

Abstract

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas constitute a rare category of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, which may involve the heart in the timeline of their natural course as an infrequent picture with a poor prognosis. Syncope, either due to outflow obstruction or conduction block, is also an uncommon presentation of cardiac metastasis. We herein describe a 35-year-old man, who presented with weight loss, dyspnea of 6 months' duration, an indolent skin ulcer in the left flank, lower limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and recurrent syncope. He underwent implantation of a permanent pacemaker due to a complete heart block and received anticoagulants for the DVT. Skin biopsy demonstrated a T-cell lymphoma. The syncopal episodes ceased thereafter. Echocardiography and computed tomography scan revealed cardiac metastasis, which responded to systemic chemotherapy. In the first follow-up visit after 3 months, he was still pacemaker-dependent. However, the DVT was partially resolved, and the symptoms had disappeared.

Keywords: Atrioventricular block; Consolidation chemotherapy; Echocardiography; Lymphoma; Neoplasm metastasis; Syncope; T-cell.

Publication types

  • Case Reports