Heart cancer

The cardiac tumor is a very rare form of tumor. These are primary or secondary, ie to distinguish metastases from other tumors.

Primary cardiac tumors

The primary cardiac tumors are very rare and almost always benign. In humans, primary cardiac tumors have been detected in autopsies at 0.056 % of the examinees. In 77% of cases, these are a myxoma, the remaining 23 % of the benign tumors are fibromas, rhabdomyomas or hamartomas. Very rarely, a malignant sarcoma can ( a angiosarcoma ) occur.

In domestic dogs specifying vary the frequency of primary cardiac tumors from 0.12 to 4.33 %. Here outweigh hemangiosarcoma, very rarely are Chemodektome, neurofibrosarcomas and rhabdomyosarcoma. In domestic cats, the incidence is 0.03%.

Secondary cardiac tumors

In the secondary cardiac tumors are metastases from other cancers. It can tumors

• Of adjacent organs grow directly into the pericardium,
• ( hematogenous ) intersperse through the bloodstream to the heart,
• Via lymphatic vessel ( lymph ) Sprinkle in the heart or the pericardium or
• Spread throughout the interior of the heart ( intracavitary ).

About 15 % of people with heart tumors have metastases. Most are metastases of malignant melanoma, as well as a breast cancer, lung cancer. In a malignant lymphoma, the heart is affected in 20-30 cases.

In domestic dogs, especially metastasis of carcinoma, lymphosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma are encountered.