Cardiac tumours in infancy and childhood.

Abstract

With the aim of defining the clinical profile of cardiac tumours in childhood and of promoting their early recognition, a study of these relatively rare conditions was undertaken as ajoint project by the members of the Association of European Paediatric Cardiologists. Within 5 years, 29 cases were collected from I5 centres. This report is limited to 22 primary cardiac tumours that were histologically verified and classified as 'benign'. There were 6 rhabdomyomas, 6 teratomas, 5 fibromas, 3 myxomas, and 2 haemangiomas. No patient with a well-documented primary malignant tumour was encountered. Though classified as 'benign', such tumours caused death in iI patients by encroachment upon the cardiac cavities or compression of the conducting tissues. The salient clinical features and the macroscopical and histological findings are briefly reviewed. Thirteen cases were correctly diagnosed during life and before operation. Of the II children operated upon, 8 made a complete recovery: 4 had a teratoma, 3 a fibroma, and I a myxoma.