BACKGROUND: Secondary malignant tumor of the heart is one of the most life-threatening complications of lung cancer. Several published case reports have documented non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with neoplastic cardiac invasion. However, the number of reported cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with neoplastic cardiac invasion is limited.

CASE REPORT: We present a rare case of advanced SCLC in a patient with asymptomatic neoplastic cardiac invasion. We also discuss radiation therapy modalities that should be considered in SCLC patients with cardiac invasion.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be vigilant about cases of SCLC with asymptomatic intra-cardiac invasion and practice caution when diagnosing, as well as treating with radiation as a monotherapy.

Keywords: Radiation