What are heart tumors?
Heart tumors are tumors that grow in the heart, and that can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors are not usually dangerous when they occur in places other than the heart. However, the heart is a delicate, sensitive organ, and even a benign tumor can interfere with crucial processes and result in great complications and death. For example, a benign heart tumor might stop the flow of blood, which often results in blood clots and hemorrhage. Blood clots and hemorrhage lead to stroke, paralysis, heart attack, and death.
Give me some examples of heart tumors, malignant and benign.
kind of tumor to occur in the human heart. It is made up of tissue and mucus. It usually occurs in the left side of the heart. Teratomas of the pericardium occurs most often in infants, growing in the main vessels of their hearts. This kind of benign heart tumor generally doesn’t show any symptoms, making it especially dangerous and hard to find. Fibromas heart tumors grow inside the valves of the heart. These tumors have been linked to heart inflammation. Malignant tumors include angisarcomas, by far the most common kind of malignant heart tumor, which grows in the right side of the heart, and also liposarcomas and fibrosarcomas. One of the scary facts about malignant heart tumors is that they can start in one place, such as the lung or the breast, and spread to the heart from there.
How do I watch for heart tumors?
Heart tumors are nasty, tricky things. They tend to imitate other heart disorders such as valve disorders. Your doctor thinks you have a valve disorder, and so treats you for that, and meanwhile your tumor continues to grow and to cause problems. If you have lung or breast cancer, though, and suddenly begin to experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, a heavy cough, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, chest pains, etc. (in other words, common symptoms of common heart disorders), it may mean that the cancer has spread to your heart. Your doctor, in that scenario, would certainly see this as a possibility. Another important fact about heart tumors is that they tend to get passed down through families. Therefore, if your doctor knows that your family has a history with heart tumors, and, again, you begin to experience the symptoms listed above, he or she will want to make sure that they aren’t a heart tumor in disguise.
What are other symptoms of heart tumors?
Heart murmurs, an enlarged heart, a misshapen heart, or heart failure that doesn’t have a ready explanation are all symptoms and signs of heart tumors. A massive buildup of bloody fluid within the heart’s lining is a dangerous symptom of a malignant tumor. The fact that having non-heart cancer increases greatly your chances of having heart cancer means that you should constantly be on the lookout. Be very aware of any changes that occur in your heart, including minor ones such as the feeling of your heart skipping a beat from time to time. Being watchful, and working with your doctor, are the two best ways to catch a heart tumor early and take care of it before it grows into a larger problem.