Cancer of the heart is referred to as cardiac sarcoma. It is an extremely rare form of cancer. Heart cancer can have similar symptoms of other heart conditions such as arrhythmia and congestive heart disease. Generally, lymphomas or soft tissue cells, are responsible for the cancerous cells developing in the heart. Once in the heart, the cancer cells can spread as they do in other parts of the body.
Angiosarcoma
Approximately 80 percent of cardiac angiosarcomas originate in the right atrium as mural masses. According to the Sarcoma Learning Center, angiosarcomas are of vascular endothelial cell origin. Endothelial cells make up the lining of blood vessels. These anaplastic cells are rapidly proliferating and extensively infiltrating in nature. Mural masses usually replace the atrial wall completely and infiltrate the cardiac chamber. These cancer cells can also spread to adjacent structures. The vena cava and the tricuspid can be invaded by these mural masses. Encasement of the heart and extensive pericardial spreading, which is the spreading of the membranous sac that encloses the heart, often occurs. Myocardial involvement usually accompanies pericardial angiosarcoma, which makes this condition fatal.
Rhabdomyosarcoma
The second most common cause of heart cancer is rhabdomyosarcoma. This form of heart cancer has been diagnosed in all age groups. However, according to the Ped-Onc Resources Center, rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common form of heart cancer in children. Rhabdomyosarcoma tumors come from a cell called a rhabdomyoblast. When rhabdomyoblast cells grow out of control, tumors can appear anywhere these cells are found. There is no heart chamber that is particularly favored. The cancer cells can form into a tumor in any area of the heart. Myocardial component is usually present with rhabdomyosarcoma cancer, as well.
Mesothelioma
Mesotheliomas are tumors that normally develop in the parietal or visceral pericardium. It can then spread to constrict the heart. The invasion of the underlying myocardium does not occur. Pleural, peritoneal, or diaphragmatic involvement may occur due to extensive local spread. A mesothelioma tumor is described as white and firm with sheet-like and nodular growth. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, there has not been an etiologic association to asbestos exposure in pericardial mesothelioma cases in contrast to the primary pleural mesothelioma cases, in which the prognosis is poor. No age group is more inclined to developing mesothelioma tumors.
