Pericardial Disease in Cancer Patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To understand the variety of conditions in which the pericardium may be affected in cancer patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Cancer may affect the pericardium directly (primary cancer; uncommon) or through metastases (commoner). Cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) may affect the pericardium leading to pericarditis and myopericarditis. Pericardial effusions, tamponade and constrictive pericarditis are complications that can also occur. A variety of techniques (predominantly cardiac imaging related) are used to make the diagnosis with the treatment strategy dependent on whether the pericardial disease is due to cancer or as a result of cancer treatment. SUMMARY: A variety of pericardial diseases may be caused by cancer and cancer treatment. Determining the aetiology and providing effective treatment can often be challenging.