[A case of carcinomatous cardiac tamponade caused by breast cancer treated with instillation of paclitaxel and minocycline]

Abstract

The patient was a 56-year-old woman who had undergone the Patey operation for left breast cancer when she was 45 years old. She had complained of dyspnea and shortness of breath at the time of exercise. Bilateral accumulation of pleural effusion and pericardial fluid was observed on chest radiographs and computed tomography(CT)scans. Under the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade, the patient was treated with pericardial drainage and local chemotherapy(intra-pericardial dosage of paclitaxel 45 mg and minocycline 100 mg)with the aim of preventing the accumulation of pericardial effusion. Subsequently, the pericardial effusion continued to disappear. The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy. At the age of 58 years, she died of breast cancer. After treatment with pericardial drainage and local chemotherapy, she did not experience pericardial reaccumulation or cardiac tamponade. Thus, the method of local chemotherapy(intra-pericardial dosage of paclitaxel 45 mg and minocycline 100 mg)was considered effective.