The Southern Medical Journal (SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists.

SMJ // Article

Letter to the Editor

Microtumor Embolization Leading to Cor Pulmonale: An Extremely Rare Complication of Ovarian Cancer

Authors: Ranjit K. Dhelaria, MD, Carlos Acevedo, MD, Amal Fadaili, MD, Giovanna Crisi, MD, PhD

Abstract

To the Editor:


Dyspnea leading to respiratory failure is not uncommon in patients with known malignancy. The underlying differential for this presentation is broad and needs careful clinical assessment and imaging studies to make a correct diagnosis. Microscopic pulmonary tumor embolus is a rare but potentially fatal complication of cancer, and often a postmortem diagnosis. Its incidence is reported to be 3.3% of 3,300 autopsied cases.1 Gastric, breast, and choriocarcinoma are the most common primary sites of cancer. Adenocarcinoma is the most common histological tumor type. Pulmonary tumor emboli are rarely seen with ovarian tumors, with only four cases reported in the literature. We present a case illustrating this rare complication.

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References

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