Pericardial diseases in patients with cancer: contemporary prevalence, management and outcomes

Neoplastic pericardial effusion is a common and serious manifestation of advanced malignancies. Lung and breast carcinoma, haematological malignancies, and gastrointestinal cancer are the most common types of cancer involving the pericardium. Pericardial involvement in neoplasia may arise from several different pathophysiological mechanisms and may be manifested by pericardial effusion with or without tamponade, effusive-constrictive pericarditis and constrictive pericarditis. Management of these patients is a complex multidisciplinary problem, affected by clinical status and prognosis of patients.