Heart care, Because there is only one heart, all attention must be paid to its health because a healthy heart is an indication of a healthy body.
A human body is anatomically structured to create cells. The cells divide and the older cells are replaced by the newer ones.
A tumour develops when these cells expand uncontrollably and create a mass. Tumors can be malignant or noncancerous. However, not all tumours are malignant.
Cardiovascular tumours are tumours that begin in the heart. Although this type of heart cancer is relatively rare, it can still be fatal.
Cardiac tumours are abnormal growths in the heart muscle or its surrounding components. Most of the time, it is myxoma, a type of cancer that begins in the body’s soft tissues.
Cardiac tumours form when malignant cells originate in the heart or move from another part of the body. It could be from the lungs or breast, which are close to the heart.
There is a chance that lung or breast cancer will spread to the heart or the lining around the heart. Cancer from other organs might also spread to the heart through the bloodstream as well.
Cardiac tumours are classed as either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). They are further characterised as either primary tumours that start in the heart or secondary tumours that spread from a primary tumour to other regions of the body.
While myxomas, which are mushy, gelatinous tumours, are common in adults, rhabdomyomas associated with tuberous sclerosis are common in infants and children.
Sarcomas, primary cardiac lymphoma, and pericardial mesothelioma are examples of malignant tumours, whereas benign tumours include myxoma, fibroma, and rhabdomyoma.
Symptoms:
Tumors in the ventricles of the heart obstruct blood flow out of the heart, which can cause chest pain or even a little fluctuation in heart rate.
Other typical symptoms include dizziness, fainting, persistent back pain, exhaustion, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and, in some cases, forgetfulness or memory difficulties.
Diagnosis:
Cardiac tumors can be identified using certain methods, such as:
Echocardiogram: It is one of the commonly used tests for diagnosis. The test uses sound to create a moving image of the heart by displaying the structure and the functioning of the heart.
CT scan: It helps to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors.
MRI: It provides detailed images of the tumor and helps in determining its type.
Treatment:
Treatment for cardiac tumours is determined on the tumor’s location and size. The patients’ health and age also play an important influence in determining the course of treatment.
Surgical excision is used to treat benign primary tumours. This must be followed by five to six years of serial echocardiography to monitor for recurrence. If the tumour is huge or there are several tumours, the cancerous tumour extending outside the heart walls is removed first.
To remove the malignancies from the heart chambers, a thorough resection of the tumour is performed later. Depending on the origin of the tumour, radiation treatment and chemotherapy are utilised to treat malignant and metastatic cardiac tumours. Systemic chemotherapy, often known as palliation, is used to treat cancer.
Prevention:
