Cardiac tumor is one of the rare types of tumors. It can appear as a benign or malignant cardiac tumor, like any abnormal growth. Depending on the type and size, treatment is difficult because surgical removal is not always possible.
What is a heart tumor?
A cardiac tumor is any form of cell proliferation in the heart area that affects heart function differently depending on its location and size. A distinction between the different types is first made according to whether they are benign or malignant. Benign or benign cardiac tumors usually grow slowly without metastasis. This includes myxoma, which is more common in women, and most often occurs in the area of the upper left ventricle. As a malignant cancer, a cardiac tumor is either a primary tumor or a secondary cardiac tumor that may have its origin in a completely different part of the body as a metastasis. The benign cardiac tumor is often also surgically treatable, while this is not possible with a cancerous tumor. Cardiac tumors are very rare overall, with the incidence increasing for secondary tumors occurring as metastases.
Causes
The cause of a cardiac tumor can be found in several areas. It occurs whenever there is aberrant cell division. In this, the heart tumor is no different from other types of tumors. This disturbance of the normal cell division, which then leads to the pathological growths, can have various causes. Environmental factors are just as important as unhealthy lifestyle habits. In the case of malignant heart tumors, medicine sees a close connection with smoking and alcohol consumption. Radiation damage can also trigger uncontrolled cell growth. This is also true for some viral diseases. A possible connection with strong sun exposure over a long period of time is considered to be a trigger for many forms of cancer. A hereditary form known as Carney complex is a benign cardiac tumor.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
In addition, there are nonspecific general symptoms such as fever or weight loss. Some patients suffer from anemia, which is manifested by fatigue and pallor, among other symptoms. The reduced cardiac output leads to shortness of breath and cardiac arrhythmias, but also to serious circulatory problems. Depending on the size and location of the tumor, heart failure, fainting spells and strokes may occur. Bleeding into the pericardium can cause hypotension, or low blood pressure. In the long term, heart failure develops, which is associated with chronically impaired performance and other symptoms. Externally, cardiac tumors are often manifested by the characteristic spots on the skin. These so-called petechiae are small and reddish and can appear all over the body. In about half of patients, the tumor causes heart murmurs. In addition, there is often chest pain and other non-specific symptoms that cannot be clearly attributed to a cardiac tumor. In the course of the disease, a cardiac tumor considerably impairs the well-being of the affected person. The physical and mental performance decreases increasingly and often also psychological complaints appear. Typical symptoms are depressive moods and anxiety, which become apparent in the form of panic attacks and palpitations.
Diagnosis and course
The cardiac tumor is often confused with other heart diseases, at least initially. The reason is that the impairments caused by the growing form of the tumor lead to symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias, lack of resilience, chest pain and accelerated heartbeat. For diagnosis, the examination methods are used in the determination of heart disease. These include blood tests as well as extensive imaging examination methods. If cancer is already present, a diagnosis of a secondary cardiac tumor is suggested if heart symptoms occur. Some benign cardiac tumors show little or no impairment. Predominantly, however, the cell growths in and around the heart lead to a reduction in physical performance. Affected patients become weakened, lose a lot of weight and may be affected by embolisms. Cardiac output decreases. Circulatory disturbances and insufficient oxygen supply in the extremities occur. A cardiac tumor leads to death in any case if it grows rapidly.This can be due to a sudden heart attack, an embolism or even cardiac arrest. Until this occurs, patients become progressively weaker and suffer greatly from the impairments caused by the cardiac tumor.
Complications
In many cases, a cardiac tumor leads to the death of the patient because it is not possible to surgically remove or otherwise treat this tumor. For this reason, the patient’s life expectancy is extremely reduced by the cardiac tumor. This leads to cardiac arrhythmias and further to a heart attack. This can be fatal for the patient. Sudden cardiac death can also occur, which is usually not preceded by any particular symptoms. Furthermore, most patients suffer from shortness of breath, which can often lead to panic attacks. The patient’s ability to cope with stress decreases and there is severe and stabbing pain directly in the patient’s chest. The quality of life of the patient decreases considerably due to the heart tumor and many everyday activities can no longer be carried out to the usual extent. Often, the patient’s heartbeat accelerates sharply even during minor exertion. The extremities can no longer be supplied with sufficient blood and oxygen and, in the worst case, die. Depending on the region of the heart tumor, it may be possible to remove it. However, death occurs in most cases because it is not possible to remove the tumor completely.
When should you go to the doctor?
If signs of heart failure are noticed, possibly associated with high fever, a cardiac tumor may be underlying. Medical advice is needed if symptoms persist for more than a few days. If symptoms such as joint pain, exhaustion or cardiac arrhythmia occur, the family doctor must be consulted immediately. This applies in particular to increasing symptoms complaints that can be attributed to no other cause. A clear warning sign of a cardiac tumor are the small, usually reddish spots on the skin. These so-called petechiae indicate a serious disease and should be examined and treated immediately. People who have already had a tumor are particularly at risk. An unhealthy lifestyle can also have a negative effect on the health of the heart and lead to the development of a heart tumor. Anyone who considers themselves to be in one of these risk groups should immediately go to a general practitioner with the symptoms mentioned. Other contacts are the cardiologist, various specialists in internal medicine and, in case of doubt, the medical emergency service.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of cardiac tumor depends largely on whether it is a benign tumor or a cancerous tumor. A benign tumor can be operated on. The prerequisite is that it is located at a site suitable for it. During surgery, the cell proliferation is surgically removed. This is usually sufficient for the impairment to disappear. Recurrence in a benign cardiac tumor is rare. The cancerous tumor on the heart must be treated with chemotherapy or radiation. Surgical removal is not necessary because of the extensive removal of tissue from the heart. In some cases, drugs are used to slow tumor growth. However, the chances of cure for a malignant cardiac tumor are slim.
Outlook and prognosis
The prognosis of a cardiac tumor is tied to several criteria. Depending on the size of the tumor, the location of the tissue alteration, the nature of the cardiac tumor, existing diseases, and the age of the patient, the prognosis is made. It is to be evaluated individually according to the patient’s specifications. In the case of a benign tumor that is easily accessible to the surgeon, the tissue alteration is completely removed in a surgical procedure. If there are no further impairments to cardiac activity, the patient can be discharged from treatment within a few months. Control examinations are recommended at regular intervals so that immediate action can be taken if the heart tumor recurs. The larger the tumor, the more difficult it is to completely remove the diseased tissue, as the risk of tissue damage to the surrounding areas can occur. These trigger functional disturbances and can lead to lifelong problems or failure of cardiac activity.In the case of a malignant growth of the heart tumor, doctors often advise cancer therapy until followed by surgery with the removal of the affected tissue. If other diseases of the heart are present, the patient’s chances of recovery worsen. The risk of cardiac failure increases, and with it the mortality rate. With increasing age, there is also a worsening of the prognosis.
Prevention
Prevention is possible for a heart tumor, at least in the form of keeping individual risk factors as low as possible. This includes a healthy lifestyle without the influence of tobacco products and alcohol. High exposure to radiation through excessive sunbathing should also be avoided. This does not completely eliminate a risk of disease in heart tumor.
Follow-up
Follow-up care is essential, especially for tumors. This is performed by different physicians. In principle, follow-up appointments are also possible in general practices if the general practitioner has sound additional training. After the surgical removal of a tumor, a grace period must first be observed. The patient should stay in bed for the first few days after the operation and avoid physical activity as far as possible. To ensure optimal wound healing, patients should refrain from taking saunas, swimming and consuming stimulants such as alcohol and cigarettes. In principle, the main goal of tumor aftercare is the timely detection of possible new tumors, so-called recurrences. These can occur both in the affected organ itself and in other organs. Follow-up appointments ensure early detection of possible recurrences. In some cases, this can prevent serious consequences. In the aftercare of heart tumors, it is also necessary to examine the patient’s heart function regularly. In addition, the physician conducts a thorough anamnesis interview. This should not only serve to assess the patient’s physical condition, but also to uncover any psychosocial problems. In addition to extensive physical examinations, blood samples and imaging procedures such as X-rays and ultrasound are used in tumor screening. Follow-up care should begin immediately after treatment has been completed. Patients are followed at regular intervals for a period of five years. Depending on the type of tumor, follow-up examinations may be more or less frequent. Particularly in the case of malignant tumors, the patient must attend follow-up appointments throughout his or her life in order to detect a possible recurrence of the disease as quickly as possible.
What you can do yourself
A heavy emotional burden is placed on the patient of a heart tumor. In addition to the physical limitations and discomfort, emotional strengthening is necessary. This can be done through sharing with close relatives or friends. In some cases, psychotherapy or behavioral therapy helps to cope with the changed living conditions. In addition, patients have the opportunity to make contact with other sufferers in self-help groups or forums. Through mutual help and support, many sufferers experience an improvement in their well-being and gain new confidence in dealing with the disease on a daily basis. To ensure that the body has sufficient resources to cope with the stresses and strains of treatment, a balanced diet rich in vitamins is important. Despite a loss of appetite, the intake of healthy foods is necessary to strengthen the immune system. In addition, the consumption of nicotine or alcohol should be avoided, as this weakens the organism. The doctors’ instructions should be followed to ensure optimal treatment. In addition, relaxation techniques help to reduce the mental stress caused by the disease. Techniques such as yoga or meditation can be used by the patient in a self-determined and self-responsible manner according to his or her individual needs. To strengthen the psyche, additional leisure activities help to promote joie de vivre.
