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Primary Cardiac Malignancies: Epidemiology and Pathology

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Manual of Cardio-oncology

Abstract

Malignant cardiac tumors are exceedingly rare and mostly secondary. Primary malignant cardiac tumors are usually sarcomas (manly angiosarcoma, indifferentiated sarcoma and leiomysarcoma), followed by lymphomas. They can occur anywhere within the heart and the presenting symptoms are related to the localization, size, and histotype. Nowadays, diagnosis of cardiac tumors is made “ante mortem” thanks to echocardiography and other invasive or non-invasive techniques. Histopathology is mandatory to provide differential diagnosis among various cardiac masses and to characterize the precise tumor histotype to plan the best treatment. From the therapeutic viewpoint, surgical excision followed by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may prolong life. However, prognosis remains poor, therapies being all palliative, with the exception for lymphomas. The Chapter summarizes epidemiology, clinical features, histologic, and therapeutic aspects of malignant cardiac tumors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Pathological Anatomy-Cardiovascular Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliera-University of Padova Medical School, Via A. Gabelli, 61, 35121, Padova, Italy

    Stefania Rizzo, Gaetano Thiene, Marialuisa Valente & Cristina Basso

Authors
  1. Stefania Rizzo
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  2. Gaetano Thiene
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  3. Marialuisa Valente
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  4. Cristina Basso
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefania Rizzo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiology Unit, IRCCS CRO-National Cancer Institute, Aviano (PN), Italy

    Chiara Lestuzzi

  2. Cardiology Unit, National Cancer Institute “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy

    Stefano Oliva

  3. Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale San Vincenzo, Taormina, Italy

    Francesco Ferraù

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Rizzo, S., Thiene, G., Valente, M., Basso, C. (2017). Primary Cardiac Malignancies: Epidemiology and Pathology. In: Lestuzzi, C., Oliva, S., Ferraù, F. (eds) Manual of Cardio-oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40236-9_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40236-9_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40234-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40236-9

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