Primary cardiac tumors

Abstract

Primary cardiac tumors are uncommon. Most patients present with symptoms of congestive heart failure. The second most common presenting symptom is embolization. Improvement in noninvasive diagnostic technology has increased the number of patients identified with a primary cardiac tumor and has also increased the number referred for surgical resection. The majority of left atrial tumors were benign, whereas up to one-half of tumors found in the right atrium were malignant. A greater proportion of malignant primary tumors were found in men than in women. Malignant cardiac tumors tend to be diagnosed after they have become extensive and the patients already have a very grave prognosis.