Cardiac tumors epidemiology and demographics

The rates of primary and secondary cardiac tumors were 0.056 and 1.23 percent, respectively, as determined by autopsy. Lung, esophageal, and lymphoma metastases are the three most prevalent malignant neoplasms impacting the heart. Nearly 90% of primary cardiac tumors are benign. Extracardiac tumors are 20–40 times greater probable than primary cardiac tumors to cause secondary heart involvement. A primary intracardiac tumor may be responsible for less than 1 percent of cardiovascular fatalities.

• Prevalence in autopsy series: 1/300 to 1/5900
• 80% of primary tumors are benign:

• 1/2 (40%) are myxomas
• 1/2 (40% ) are of other types

• The most common primary tumor of the heart is the myxoma.
  • Makes up as much as 77% of all primary tumors of the heart.^[1] Other benign tumors of the heart include rhabdomyomas, fibromas, hemangiomas, lipomas, paragangliomas, myocytic hamartomas, and papillary fibroelastomas^[2].

About 20 percent of primary tumors of the heart are malignant in nature.^[1]

• Malignant tumors of the heart include rhabdomyosarcomas, angiosarcomas, myxosarcomas, fibrosarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, reticulum cell sarcomas, and liposarcomas.
  • The cardiac sarcomas may occur at any age, but are more commonly seen in individuals in their 20s to 40s.
  • They occur equally in males and females.

A subset of the primary tumors of the heart are tumors that are found on the valves of the heart.

• Tumors that affect the valves of the heart are found in an equal distribution among the four heart valves.^[2] The vast majority of these are papillary fibroelastomas.
  • Primary tumors of the valves of the heart are more likely to occur in males.
  • The primary tumors of the valves of the heart are mainly benign.
  • The symptoms related to the valve, include neurologic symptoms and (in a few cases) sudden cardiac death.

• 20 to 40x more common than primary cardiac tumors
• Typically carcinomas, melanomas, and leukemias/lymphomas
• Discrete tumors found in 10 to 12% of all autopsies
• Any involvement of heart by a malignancy found in 20% of all autopsies

Template:WH Template:WS