Primary heart cancer is exceedingly rare. The incidence of all heart tumors is only 0.28 percent with only 23 percent of those tumors being malignant cancers, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Benign tumors are usually found on the left side of the heart, while malignant cancers are predominantly located on the right side of the heart. There are different kinds of primary cancers that can affect the heart and each type has different characteristics. Identifying the types of heart cancer aids physicians in choosing the best treatment option.
Cardiac Angiosarcomas
Cardiac angiosarcoma is a cancer of the blood vessels in or around the heart. This type of cancer most commonly develops on the right side of the heart. Symptoms can include swelling of the feet or legs, abnormal ECG readings, and chest pain. The cancer can cause obstructions within the heart and cause clots in the main vessels of the cardiac system. Treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these methods.
Cardiac Rhabdomyosarcomas
Another type of heart cancer is rhabdomyosarcomas, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This type of cancer can affect patients of all ages, but is most commonly found in adults. If these cancers do develop, they usually occur as multiple tumors. The survival rate of patients with this disease is very low, because the cancer is very aggressive and can cause many complications as it starts to grow and invade other tissues.
Cardiac Fibrosarcomas
Fibrosarcomas are cardiac tumors that commonly grow on the valves on the heart, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. These tumors begin on the connective tissue of the heart valves, but soon invade other parts of the heart. Parts of these tumors can break off and cause a blockage in blood flow in the vessels around the heart. Cardiac fibrocsarcomas can also damage the valves of the heart. This can lead to back flow of circulated blood, congestion of blood in the lungs and heart, and abnormal heart sounds. Like all cancers, prompt diagnosis and treatment of cardiac fibrosarcomas greatly increases the patient's survival chances.
Cardiac Liposarcomas
Cardiac liposarcomas originate in the fatty tissue surrounding the heart. This type of cancer spreads from this fatty tissue and infiltrates the other tissues around the heart. The cells of this malignancy resemble large abnormal fat cells.
