Primary cardiac tumors are rare but can cause significant complications depending on their location, size, and mobility, often mimicking other cardiac conditions.
Primary neoplasms of the heart are relatively rare. Their incidence varies between 0.001% to 0.3% of individuals in autopsy series. Even the most common primary tumour -cardiac myxoma -is estimated to occur in fewer than two or three people per 100 000 population. When primary cardiac tumours occur consequences may be considerable because of the crucial nature of the various structures involved. The complications attributed to such tumours depend on their location, size, mobility, friability, and the invasiveness of tumour growth. Primary tumours of the heart and pericardium are more important for their local effects than for their potential metastatic behaviour. They usually present as rhythm disturbances, contractility abnormality, obstruction, valvular regurgitation, embolic event, or pericardial effusion. In some instances, presentation may mimic myocardial ischaemia, valvular disease, cardiomyopathy, or local infectious disease.
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Carrel et al. (2011) studied this question.
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