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Overview
Epidemiology
- Primary cardiac tumors: rare (~ 0.02% autopsy prevalence)
- Secondary (metastatic): 20-40x more common than primary
- All ages but primary tumors have specific age peaks
Classification
- Primary:
- Benign (75%): myxoma, papillary fibroelastoma, lipoma, rhabdomyoma, fibroma, hemangioma
- Malignant (25%): angiosarcoma (most common), rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, primary cardiac lymphoma
- Secondary (metastatic):
- Direct extension: lung, esophagus, mediastinal
- Hematogenous: breast, melanoma, lymphoma, leukemia
- Pericardial seeding
Primary Benign Cardiac Tumors
Myxoma (Most Common Primary, ~ 50%)
- Location: LA (~ 75%, near fossa ovalis), RA (15-20%), ventricles (5%)
- Demographics: 30-60 yo, F > M (3:1)
- Familial / syndromic: 7% â Carney complex (PRKAR1A gene)
- NAME syndrome: Nevi, Atrial myxoma, Myxoid neurofibromata, Ephelides
- LAMB syndrome: Lentigines, Atrial myxoma, Blue nevi
- Clinical triad:
- Obstructive symptoms (most common): dyspnea, syncope, HF, position-dependent symptoms; âtumor plopâ (early diastolic sound), murmur (mimics MS)
- Embolic phenomena: systemic emboli (50% to brain â stroke), retina, peripheral vessels; histology in thrombectomy
- Constitutional symptoms: fever, weight loss, fatigue, malaise, arthralgia, â ESR, â IL-6 (paraneoplastic)
- Diagnosis: TTE > TEE; CMR shows characteristic appearance (T1 isointense, T2 hyperintense, gadolinium enhancement)
- Treatment: Surgical excision (curative); recurrence rare (1-5%); familial higher recurrence
- Prognosis: excellent post-resection
Papillary Fibroelastoma
- Most common valvular tumor
- Small, papillary, mobile (frond-like appearance)
- Aortic > mitral > tricuspid > pulmonic
- Clinical: incidental finding OR systemic embolism (stroke, MI from coronary embolism), TIA
- Treatment: surgical excision if symptomatic, left-sided, or large; antiplatelet if asymptomatic
- 2024 ACC/AHA: surgery for symptomatic or left-sided > 1 cm
Lipoma
- 2nd most common primary benign
- Encapsulated fat
- Often subepicardial; LA most common
- Usually asymptomatic; surgery if symptomatic
Rhabdomyoma (Most Common in Children)
- Pediatric tumor
- Tuberous sclerosis association (TSC1/TSC2 mutations) â > 50% of TS have rhabdomyoma
- Multiple, ventricular
- Often regresses spontaneously
- Symptomatic: arrhythmia, obstruction
- Treatment: mTOR inhibitors (everolimus) â novel
- Surgery rarely needed
Fibroma
- 2nd most common pediatric cardiac tumor
- Ventricular myocardium
- Asymptomatic or arrhythmia, syncope
- Surgery for symptomatic
Hemangioma
- Vascular tumor
- Rare
- Surgery for symptomatic
Primary Malignant Cardiac Tumors
Angiosarcoma (Most Common Primary Malignant)
- Location: RA most common (most), aggressive
- Demographics: 30-50 yo
- Clinical: pericardial effusion (often bloody), HF, embolic
- Prognosis: poor (median survival 6-12 months)
- Treatment: surgical resection + chemotherapy (doxorubicin + ifosfamide); radiation; immunotherapy emerging
- 2024 Updates: pazopanib, immune checkpoint inhibitors (limited data)
Rhabdomyosarcoma
- 2nd most common primary malignant in children
- Multiple, infiltrative
- Median survival 9-12 months
- Surgery + chemo (vincristine, dactinomycin, cyclophosphamide)
Leiomyosarcoma
- LA most common
- Mimics myxoma
- Poor prognosis
Primary Cardiac Lymphoma
- Rare; usually B-cell, large diffuse
- HIV / immunocompromise risk
- Chemotherapy (R-CHOP)
- Better prognosis if responsive
Diagnostic Imaging
Echocardiography
- First-line screening
- TTE: most masses visible
- TEE: better for atrial, valve, small masses
- Distinguishes: thrombus vs tumor vs vegetation
- 3D echo: spatial relationships
Cardiac MRI (CMR)
- Gold standard for tissue characterization
- T1, T2, FLAIR signals
- LGE: enhancement patterns
- First-pass perfusion (vascular vs avascular)
- Cine: function impact
- Helps distinguish:
- Thrombus: non-enhancing, low signal
- Myxoma: T2 hyperintense, isointense T1, enhances
- Lipoma: high T1, fat suppression
- Angiosarcoma: heterogeneous, vascular
CT
- Calcification (fibroma)
- Anatomy
- Staging for malignancy
PET-CT (FDG)
- Distinguishes benign vs malignant
- Malignant: high FDG avidity
- Thrombus: no FDG
Echo + CMR + PET combination
- 2024 gold standard for cardiac tumor workup
Differential Diagnosis
Thrombus
- AF, anterior MI, LV aneurysm
- Non-enhancing on CMR
- Anticoagulation responsive
Vegetation
- Endocarditis context
- Blood cultures
- Often valvular
Pseudotumor
- Lipomatous hypertrophy of interatrial septum (LHIS) â benign fat accumulation
- Caseous mitral annular calcification
- Hiatus hernia
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- Myxoma: most common primary tumor; LA 75%; triad (obstruction + embolism + constitutional); surgical excision curative
- Papillary fibroelastoma: most common valvular tumor; embolic risk; surgical excision if symptomatic, large, or left-sided
- Rhabdomyoma: pediatric; tuberous sclerosis association; mTOR inhibitor option
- Angiosarcoma: most common primary malignant; RA; poor prognosis
- Metastatic: 20-40x more common than primary; melanoma highest cardiac metastasis rate
- Imaging: echo + CMR (tissue) + PET (malignancy)