These tumors are generally benign and can be removed surgically. Larger fibromas, however, can cause problems with the electrical conduction system of the heart. Large fibromas can cause an abnormal heart rhythm in children, requiring heart transplantation. However, this type of treatment is rarely performed in children or young adults and is usually reserved for malignant tumors.
Because the heart is made up of muscle and connective tissue, tumors that grow on the heart’s surface are rare. They typically develop in the epithelial tissue lining other organs. Cancers that originate in this tissue are more susceptible to mutation and growth. Cancer in the heart is most common in men than in women, and it can spread to the lungs, lymph nodes, and liver. Thankfully, most tumors are curable with surgery.
While a rhabdomyoma has a higher risk of spreading throughout the body, the majority of hemangiomas are benign. These tumors are found in the right atrium, which is the lower chamber of the heart. Some tumors can be calcified, containing calcium deposits, and can block blood flow in the heart. Patients who have one of these types of tumors should receive treatment as soon as possible.
The most common type of primary cardiac tumors is a benign myxoma. Although not as dangerous as a malignant tumor, they are still potentially fatal. Adults with heart tumors may also have angiosarcoma, which develops in the lining of blood vessels. These tumors often grow in clusters and bulge into the atrium. Sometimes they can spread to other parts of the body. This type of cancer is rare in children, but it can still be deadly.
Surgical removal of a tumor near the heart is not easy. It can take up to six hours to complete, and it requires meticulous cutting around the tumor. During the procedure, a surgeon needs to create negative margins to ensure that no cancerous tissue is left behind, preventing the tumor from growing back. Unfortunately, only two out of five patients achieve negative margins, and Dr. Cusimano believes that patients need to seek out centers with experience in this type of surgery if they have this type of cancer.
Metastatic cardiac tumors are rare but are becoming increasingly common, possibly due to better outcomes in cancer patients treated with cancer. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and monitor these tumors at the earliest possible stage. Metastatic cardiac tumors can be caused by any type of malignant tumor, although they are most often caused by melanoma, lymphoma, and leukemia. In most cases, these tumors remain clinically silent until years after cancer diagnosis.
Although the likelihood of cancers affecting the heart is small, it is important to understand the risk factors that can cause it. Most of these cancers are benign, but some are malignant. While 80% of primary heart tumors are benign, the other twenty percent are metastatic. This is because these tumors can spread from other parts of the body to the heart. However, metastatic heart tumors are not uncommon. The American Cancer Society estimates that there are about 10,000 new cases of soft tissue cancers each year.
