Heart cancer
Most heart tumors begin with myxomas, fibromas, rhabdomyomas, and hamartomas. Malignant sarcomas such as angiosarcoma or cardiac sarcoma have been known to occur in rare instances. A study of 12,487 autopsies performed in Hong Kong found only seven cardiac tumors, most of which were benign. At Mayo Clinic, on average only one case of heart cancer is seen each year. In a study conducted at the Hospital of the Medical University of Vienna, 113 primary cardiac tumour cases were identified over 15 years. Only 11 of those cases were malignant. The mean survival for that latter group of patients was not specified in the source text.
Primary malignant cardiac tumors are even rarer than their benign counterparts. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Results Cancer Registry studied 497 patients diagnosed during 2000, 2001 in the United States. Most cases were angiosarcomas accounting for 27.3 percent of the total. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas made up 26.9 percent of the cases. The incidence rate for NHL increased significantly over the study period while cardiac angiosarcomas did not change. An earlier study from 1973 to 2011 found 551 cases of PMCTs with an incidence of 34 cases per million persons. That study also found the incidence has doubled over the past four decades. Associated mortality remained very high with only 46 percent of patients alive after one year.
Patients with heart tumors usually have non-specific symptoms such as dyspnea or shortness of breath when lying down. Thoracoabdominal pain appears in the general area around the heart alongside fatigue and hemoptysis. Nausea and vomiting occur frequently along with fever and weight loss. Night sweats round out a list of physical signs that mimic other heart diseases. These overlapping symptoms make early diagnosis difficult for medical professionals treating affected individuals. A patient might present with chest pain yet the underlying cause remains hidden until further testing occurs.
In most cases, the diagnosis relies on clinical history combined with echocardiography, CT scans, or MRI scans. Cardiac tumors are often first diagnosed after the patient has had a stroke caused by detached tumor tissue. Embolism resulting from this detachment can be the first sign of the disease. Doctors use these imaging tools to visualize the mass within the heart structure. The timing of detection often coincides with acute neurological events rather than routine checkups. This delay allows the tumor to grow larger before intervention becomes possible.
Because malignant tumors grow rapidly and invade important heart structures, they can be very difficult to treat. Most are not found until surgical removal is no longer possible due to their size or location. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are sometimes used to try to slow tumor growth and improve symptoms. Palliative care strategies focus on symptom management when curative options fail. Frequently these treatments prove ineffective for primary heart cancer. Patients with secondary metastases have advanced tumor disease where the heart is only one of many sites involved in generalised spread.
Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon's death is believed to have resulted from heart cancer. Eric Carr, American musician and drummer of the rock band Kiss, died of heart cancer. Alexander Belov was a Soviet basketball player who succumbed to the disease. Mimi Lerner, Polish-American mezzo-soprano, died of heart tumor. Ondřej Buchtela, Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, suffered sarcoma of the heart muscle. Virgil Abloh, artistic director for Louis Vuitton and founder of fashion label Off White, died of cardiac angiosarcoma. Akkaphan Namart, Thai actor, was diagnosed with the disease in 2022 and died two years later.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
What are the most common types of heart cancer?
Most heart tumors begin with myxomas, fibromas, rhabdomyomas, and hamartomas. Malignant sarcomas such as angiosarcoma or cardiac sarcoma occur in rare instances.
How many cases of heart cancer were found in the Hong Kong autopsy study?
A study of 12,487 autopsies performed in Hong Kong found only seven cardiac tumors. Most of these tumors were benign rather than malignant.
When did the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Registry study patients for heart cancer?
The Surveillance Epidemiology and End-Results Cancer Registry studied 497 patients diagnosed during 2000 and 2001 in the United States. This period captured data on incidence rates for primary malignant cardiac tumors.
Who died from heart cancer according to the provided text?
Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon is believed to have died from heart cancer. Eric Carr, Alexander Belov, Mimi Lerner, Ondřej Buchtela, Virgil Abloh, and Akkaphan Namart also died from the disease.
What symptoms do patients with heart tumors usually experience?
Patients with heart tumors usually have non-specific symptoms such as dyspnea or shortness of breath when lying down. Thoracoabdominal pain appears in the general area around the heart alongside fatigue and hemoptysis.