Fibrosarcoma of the heart metastatic to the brain.

A right parietal lobe metastasis of a fibrosarcoma originating in the left atrium of the heart was resected twice in a 33-year-old man. Light microscopy showed lightly packed, pleomorphic spindle cells with abundant collagen production and an alcian blue-positive matrix. Electron microscopy confirmed the fibroblastic character of these cells. Review of the literature reveals one other cardiac fibrosarcoma metastatic to the brain. The case presented is the first reported example of successful surgical resection of this unusual metastatic sarcoma. Although he succumbed to metastatic disease, the patient remained neurologically intact until the time of death.

Duke Scholars

Author Allan Howard Friedman Neurosurgery