Happy Valentine’s Day! Today, many people celebrate by giving candy, flowers, cards, and gifts to their loved ones. The holiday’s roots go back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which featured lively celebrations and animal sacrifices meant to protect against evil spirits and infertility. In Victorian England, Valentine’s Day became more focused on love, with people exchanging fancy cards decorated with lace and feathers. By the mid-1800s, both Britain and the United States were producing valentines for sale. Today, Valentine’s Day cards are still very popular. Hallmark estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day greeting cards are exchanged each year, not counting the boxed cards kids give to their classmates.
The heart is arguably the most common symbol of love, sweethearts, and, of course, Valentine’s Day, but it also has another characteristic that you may have never considered. The heart is nearly resistant to cancer. So, while we have hearts on our minds this Valentine’s Day, it’s an opportunity to talk about some extremely rare cancers that impact the heart.
Cardiac (heart) cancer does exist, but it is very rare. Tumors can develop in almost any cell in the body, including the tissues of the heart. Both primary and metastatic tumors can form in the heart, but most primary cardiac tumors are benign. However, cancers from other parts of the body can spread to the heart, and these cases are more common than primary heart tumors.
Globally, primary cardiac tumors occur at a rate of about 1.4 per 100,000 annually. (In comparison, global breast cancer rates are around 48 per 100,000). Various other malignancies can spread to the heart, including lung, skin, breast, and esophageal cancers. The incidence of metastatic cardiac tumors exceeds that of primary cardiac tumors by twenty to forty times.
Symptoms of cardiac tumors can be very different from person to person. The size and location of the tumor affect what symptoms appear and how severe they are. Some people have no symptoms, while others may feel chest pain or tightness.
Doctors use non-invasive imaging methods like echocardiography (ECHO), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and computed tomography (CT) to find out the size, shape, and location of cardiac tumors.
The treatment for cardiac tumors depends on several factors. Surgery is usually recommended for benign tumors on the left side of the heart because they can raise the risk of embolism. Benign tumors on the right side of the heart are often just monitored and may not need immediate treatment. Malignant tumors may need surgery, and sometimes chemotherapy or radiotherapy is given before or after the operation.
Sources: Langenbecks Arch Surg, J Cardovasc Med, Front Public Health, JACC CardioOncol
