Heart Cancer

Most people are surprised to learn there actually is such a thing as heart cancer. But it gets little publicity because it's extremely rare. This is because cancer occurs from cells that divide abnormally, and cells in the heart generally don't divide at all.

One recent study examined more than 12,000 autopsy reports, and a heart tumor was mentioned in less than one-tenth of one percent. Additionally, most of the tumors that were found were benign.

When there is a malignant tumor in the heart, it's generally a sarcoma (a type of cancer that starts in soft tissue).

Cancer rarely originates in the heart itself. Occasionally, cancer cells spread to the heart from other places, especially if the cancer is lymphoma (cancer of the lymph glands near the heart).

Symptoms of Heart Cancer

It's difficult to diagnose heart cancer because symptoms are very similar to other diseases. But the following symptoms may be clues.

• Angina - classic chest pain
• Cardiomegaly - an abnormal enlargement of the heart
• Dyspnea - difficulty breathing, labored breathing.
• Fainting
• Fever
• Finger clubbing
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart murmurs
• Heart valve dysfunction or obstruction
• Tachycardia - abnormally fast heartbeat of 100 beats per minute or more.

Heart Cancer Treatment

Most people who have heart cancer prefer surgery as their treatment of choice. Radiation cancer therapy is another possibility.

The prognosis is generally poor with malignant heart tumors. 

Dangers from Other Forms of Cancer

Even if heart cancer isn't present, there are other dangers to the heart from cancer elsewhere in the body.

Cancer can cause damage to heart valves. This is known as marantic endocarditis. Cancer can also cause heart muscle to stiffen, which is known as cardiac fibrosis.

Cancer treatments can put the heart at risk too. Certain chemotherapy drugs may damage heart muscle and tissue, increasing the risk of coronary artery disease later on.