Primary cardiac lymphoma mimicking atrial myxoma in an HIV and EBV-positive patient: a case report

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is an extremely rare neoplasm arising from the heart (and/or pericardium) and should be distinguished from the secondary involvement of lymphomas from other parts of the body or other malignant tumors originating from the heart. In the present report, we present the case of a 40-year-old male infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) suffering from palpitation, dyspnea fora month, and in whom echocardiography showed a mass in the right atrium suggesting atrial myxoma. A surgical excision of the lesion was performed, but, unexpectedly, a diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma was made according to the microscopic features and immunohistochemical studies.