Cardiology>>>>>Genetics, Lipids And Tumours
Question 28#

Regarding the prevalence of cardiac tumours:

A. The secondary to primary ratio is approximately 10:1
B. Papillary fibroelastoma is the third most common of the primary benign cardiac tumours, behind myxoma and cardiac fibroma
C. Lung carcimona is the most common metastatic cardiac tumour
D. Although typically thought of as benign, 2% of atrial myxomas metastasize
E. A male predominance of 1.4:1 is seen among the benign primary cardiac tumours

Correct Answer is C

Comment:

Cardiac tumours have a prevalence rate of 0.056% for primaries and 1.23% for secondaries, with an approximate ratio of secondary to primary of 20:1 (Lam KY). The University of Padua has reported on an extensive post mortem series, which described 210 primary cardiac tumours, of which 89% were benign and 11% malignant. In this series, papillary fibroelastoma was the second most common benign primary cardiac tumour after atrial myxoma (Basso C).

Lung carcinoma is the most common metastatic cardiac tumour (approximately 33%). Lymphoma and leukaemia (16%) are the second most common followed by breast (5%), hepatic (5%), and kidney (4%) carcinomas.

Atrial myxoma is a benign disease that does not metastasize. It typically presents with constitutional, obstructive, or embolic symptoms. In the primary benign cardiac tumours, there is a female predominance of 1.4:1. The mean age is 47 years.