Journal
ARCHIVES OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
Volume 10, Issue 1, Pages 135-148Publisher
TERMEDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE LTD
DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2014.40741
Keywords
cardiac tumors; angiosarcoma; transthoracic echocardiography; surgery
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Cardiac tumors are assumed to be a rare entity. Metastases to the heart are more frequent than primary lesions. Sarcomas make up the majority of cardiac malignant neoplasms. Among them angiosarcoma is the most common and associated with the worst prognosis. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma comprises the minority of cardiac sarcomas and has uncertain etiology as well as pathogenesis. Transthoracic echocardiography remains the widely available screening examination for the initial diagnosis of a cardiac tumor. The clinical presentation is non-specific and the diagnosis is established usually at an advanced stage of the disease. Sarcomas spread preferentially through blood due to their immature vessels without endothelial lining. Surgery remains the method of choice for treatment. Radicalness of the excision is still the most valuable prognostic factor. Adjuvant therapy is unlikely to be effective. The management of cardiac sarcomas must be individualized due to their rarity and significant differences in the course of disease.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available