Usually, a cardiac tumor is benign in nature. A benign tumor has a good prognosis at thrombi. Vegetations and some tumors are the most at risk embolism.
(Primary) Benign tumors
Myxoma
Most common primary cardiac tumor (50-75%).
Location: 90% atrial (LA 75%), 7% ventricular.
Size: 1 - 15cm (usually 5 - 6cm)
Fibroma
The second most common primary cardiac tumor.
Location: Almost always ventricular (septal or apical).
Size: ± 10cm.
Papillary fibroelastoma
Most common valve tumor.
Location: whole heart, usually aortic valve (35%).
Size: ± 1cm.
Lipoma
Usually, on the basis of the endocardium.
Location: whole heart including valves and pericardium.
Size: up to ± 10cm.
Rhabdomyoma
Most common benign cardiac tumor in children.
Location: usually ventricular, no valve involvement.
Congenital unnatural body cavity delimited by epithelium.
Location: usually in the right atrium (right cardiophrenic corner).
Thrombi
Clots of blood by slow blood flow.
Location: Left atrial appendage in atrial fibrillation, akinetic myocardial infarction or cardiomyopathies, prosthetic valves or infectious valves, atrial septal ASD/PFO.
Malignant tumors
Primary malignant tumors are very rare. The most common malignant cardiac tumors are secondary tumors derived from primary diseases (see table below). 3% of all patients with cancer receive cardiac metastases through the four "pathways": direct infiltration, haematogenically (through blood), lymph vessels (VCI, pulmonary veins). Malignant tumors have a poor prognosis: In malignant tumors the major risk is of the malignancy itself.
Primary malignant tumors
Angiosarcoma
Most common primary malignant cardiac tumor
Location: 90% right atrium
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Second most common primary malignant cardiac tumor, often in children than adults
Location: whole heart
Mesothelioma
Cover visceral and parietal pericardium, no growth in endocardium.
Secondary malignant tumors
Metastases
Melanoma
Lung Cancer
Breast cancer
Sarcoma
Renal cell carcinoma
Leukemia
Lymphoma
Oesophagus cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Thyroid cancer
Overview of the locations of the most common cardiac tumors
