Cardiac Tumors

Heart tumors can be difficult to diagnose because their symptoms resemble those of many other conditions.

If a tumor is suspected, your doctor will most likely order an echocardiogram.

Further imaging via computed tomography (CT scan) or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be used, as well as angiography in some cases.

Primary heart tumors are often benign (noncancerous) and include:

• Myxoma – the most common primary benign heart tumor, which is typically found in the left atrial chamber of the heart
• Papillary fibroelastoma – often arises in or around the heart’s valves
• Cardiac paraganglioma – usually involves the roof of the left atrium
• Hemangioma – can arise from the pericardium, ventricles, atria or tricuspid valve
• Lipoma – a growth composed of fatty tissue that may not cause symptoms but is often removed because of risk of malignancy
• Fibroma – a large, nodular, whitish-gray tumor that is most common in infants and children
• Castleman’s disease – a very rare disorder characterized by a benign heart tumor that may have developed in the lymph node tissue and then spread to the heart

While most primary heart tumors are benign, they can still lead to serious health problems if they interfere with the function of the heart. These complications can include heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or heart murmurs. Over time, tumors may also degenerate, causing pieces to break off and lodge in small arteries, resulting in a blockage of blood flow to vital organs. 

The types of malignant (cancerous) heart tumors include:

• Angiosarcoma – the most common type of cancerous primary heart tumor, this is an aggressive type of tumor that originates in the lining of the blood vessels

• Malignant fibrous histiocytoma – soft tissue sarcoma that most commonly occurs between the ages of 50 and 70
• Leiomyosarcoma – cancer of the smooth muscle cells found in involuntary muscles, including the heart
• Rhabdomyosarcoma – a fast-growing tumor that accounts for more than half of the soft tissue sarcomas in children

Heart tumors can be asymptomatic or may present with symptoms similar to other heart diseases, including:

• Chest pain
• Increased heart rate or palpitations
• Fainting or dizziness
• Shortness of breath, especially during activity
• Difficulty breathing when lying flat or asleep
• Persistent cough
• Discoloration of fingers
• Swelling in any part of the body
• Unexplained weight loss

Treatment options vary based on the specific type of heart tumor.

Primary tumors that are noncancerous often can be surgically removed. If a noncancerous primary heart tumor can’t be removed, however, various surgical procedures can help assist heart function.

Primary malignant cardiac tumors are extremely rare, and ours is one of the few teams with expertise treating them. In fact, our multidisciplinary group of heart tumor specialists makes up one of the most experienced teams worldwide in treating primary cardiac sarcoma and work together to design personalized treatment plans.

The team’s surgical expertise is vast. Our surgeons have operated on more than 130 primary cardiac sarcomas and developed innovative surgical techniques — such as cardiac autotransplantation, partial autotransplantation and the “Texas Two Step” approach — to treat tumors requiring extensive cardiac and lung resections.