Clinical findings and therapeutic options in cardiac tumours

Abstract

Background

Primary cardiac malignancies are uncommon, with an estimated autopsy incidence of 0.001– 0.05%, and the vast majority of malignancies involving the heart and pericardium are metastatic. Three quarters of these tumours are benign, and approximately half of adult cardiac tumours are myxomas. Rhabdomyomas, papillary fibroelastomas, lipomas, fibromas, and haemangiomas are the other benign tumours. Rhabdomyomas are also the most common paediatric primary cardiac tumours. Primary malignant cardiac malignancies make up one fourth of all cardiac tumours, and angiosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, pericardial mesothelioma and lymphoma are the major neoplasms. The diagnosis is often made by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are needed to determine the characterization, location and extent of cardiac and paracardiac masses. These imaging modalities are also used for both treatment planning and post-treatment follow-up.

Aim

In this report, we evaluate primary cardiac benign and malignant tumours and metastatic lesions with the treatment strategies by reviewing the recent literature.