Cardiac tumors overview

Overview
The primary tumors of the heart are tumors that arise from the normal tissues that make up the heart. This is in contrast to secondary tumors of the heart, which are typically either metastatic from another part of the body, or infiltrate the heart via direct extension from the surrounding tissues.

Epidemiology and Demographics
The most common primary tumor of the heart is the myxoma. In surgical series, the myxoma makes up as much as 77% of all primary tumors of the heart.

Benign Tumors of the Heart
About 80% of primary tumors of the heart are benign. Other benign tumors of the heart include rhabdomyomas, fibromas, hemangiomas, lipomas, paragangliomas, myocytic hamartomas, and papillary fibroelastomas.

Malignant Tumors of the Heart
About 20% of primary tumors of the heart are malignant in nature. Malignant tumors of the heart include rhabdomyosarcomas, angiosarcomas, myxosarcomas, fibrosarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, reticulum cell sarcomas, and liposarcomas. The cardiac sarcomas may occur at any age, but are more commonly seen in individuals in their 20s to 40s. They occur equally in males and females.

Tumors of the Heart Valves
A subset of the primary tumors of the heart are tumors that involve the four heart valves, with equal distribution among the four heart valves. The vast majority of these are papillary fibroelastomas. Primary tumors of the heart valves predominate in males and are generally benign. Heart valve tumors often have symptoms related to the valve, such as stroke and TIA, and infrequently sudden cardiac death.