Clinical Experiences for Primary Cardiac Tumors

BACKGROUND: Primary cardiac tumors are known to be rare. We studied the surgical results for primary cardiac tumors. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between August 1980 and December 2003, we classified 86 patients who had operation for primary cardiac tumors in our center into 3 groups; myxoma, nonmyxoma benign tumors, and malignant tumors. The mean age was 44.3+/-20.8 years and 59 patients (66.3%) were female. In postoperative pathologic diagnosis, there were 81 cases (94.2%) of benign tumors in which myxoma was the most common tumor (70 cases, 78.7%); 5 fibroma (5.6%), 3 rhabdomyoma (3.4%), and 5 malignant tumors (5.8%). RESULT: 86.4% of benign tumor was myxoma and the mean age was 50.4+/-15.4 (range 7~80) years. Tumor was more common in females (49 cases) and most common preoperative symptom was dyspnea (62.9%). 57 cases were located at left atrial septum and only one case, which was located at right ventricular septum, was resected incompletely. There were no hospital deaths and one patient had mitral valve replacement on the first operative day due to newly developed postoperative mitral regurgitation. The mean follow up period was 109.3+/-71.8 months and there was no evidence of recurrence in this period. 11 cases (12.8%) were nonmyxoma benign tumors; 5 fibromas, 3 rhabdomyomas, etc. There were two hospital deaths and the causes of death were fungal endocarditis and hypoxia. There were no reoperations in nonmyxoma benign tumors. Malignant tumors were in 5 cases (5.8%); undifferentiated sarcoma in 2, rhabdomyosarcoma in 1, etc. Although there were no hospital mortalities, 3 patients who were followed up died from complications of tumors. CONCLUSION: Myxomas showed very excellent prognosis after complete resection and nonmyxoma benign tumors showed relatively good results for relief of symptoms. Surgery helped to relieve symptoms for malignant tumors, but the prognosis was poor.ope