The Role of Single-cell RNA Sequencing in Cardiac Tumour - A Case Report

Background: Benign cardiac tumour is a common disease and is often completely removed by surgery. However, the characteristics of these tumours have not been studied deeply. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyse cell composition and growth patterns in a giant cardiac tumour. Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman presented to our hospital with 5 days of chest tightness, dyspnoea, and lower abdominal distension. Echocardiography revealed a mass in the right atrium. An emergency operation was carried out to prevent tumour shedding. At 4 days after successful tumour resection, the patient was discharged without any complications. At the ten-month follow-up, she had recovered well, with good quality of life. scRNA-seq was applied to analyse the nature of the tumour. The cellular components of benign tumours include chondrocytes, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells, and osteoblasts. Additionally, the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP-PKG) signalling pathway, transcriptional misregulation in cancer, and the p53 signalling pathway may be related to the growth of this tumour. Conclusions: cRNA-seq is a good approach to analyse growth patterns and search for therapeutic targets. scRNA-seq results are helpful for reducing tumour recurrence and also benefit patient quality of life.