BACKGROUNDIt is a surgical dilemma when patients present with both severe heart disease and neoplasms. The best surgical treatment remains controversial. This study aimed to analyze the early and long-term results of simultaneous surgical treatment of severe heart disease and neoplasms.

METHODSWe reviewed the clinical records of 15 patients who underwent simultaneous neoplastic resection and cardiac surgery between September 2006 and January 2011. There were 5 male and 10 female patients. The mean age was (59.2 ± 12.5) years and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was (57.4 ± 11.0)%. All patients were followed up completely for a period of 12 to 51 months (mean, (33.1 ± 11.2) months).

RESULTSFifteen patients underwent simultaneous cardiac surgery and neoplastic resection. Cardiac procedures consisted of off pump coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 7), aortic valve replacement (n = 3), mitral valve replacement (n = 3), mitral valve replacement with coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 1) and left atrial myxoma resection (n = 1). Neoplastic resection consisted of lung cancer resection (n = 5), colonic cancer resection (n = 3), gallbladder resection (n = 1), colonic cancer resection with gallbladder resection (n = 1), hysterectomy (n = 2), hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (n = 2) and left ovariectomy (n = 1). Pathological examination confirmed malignant disease in 10 patients and benign disease in 5 patients. There were no perioperative myocardial infarctions, stroke, pericardial tamponade, renal failure or hospital deaths. The most frequent complications were atrial fibrillation (33.3%), pneumonia (26.7%), low cardiac output syndrome (6.7%) and delayed healing of surgical wounds (6.7%). There was 1 late death 42 months after surgery for recurrent malignant disease. At 1 and 3 years, survival rates were 100% (Kaplan-Meier method).

CONCLUSIONSSimultaneous cardiac surgery and neoplastic resection was not associated with increased early or late morbidity or mortality. Cardiopulmonary bypass does not appear to adversely affect survival in patients with malignant disease. The long-term survival was determined by tumor stage.