Surgical treatment of primary cardiac tumors in the contemporary era: A single-centre analysis

Background: Primary cardiac tumors (PCT) are rare lesions but have the potential to cause significant morbidity if not timely treated. We reviewed our single-center experience in the surgical treatment of PCT with a focus on the long-term outcome. Methods: From 2001 to 2020, 57 consecutive patients underwent surgical resection of PCT at our Institution. Data including the demographic characteristics, tumor histology, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results: Mean age at presentation was 63.6 ± 11.2 years, and 33 (57.9%) of the patients were female. A total of 55 (96.5%) subjects were diagnosed with benign cardiac tumor, while the remaining had malignant tumors. The most common histopathological type was myxoma. All patients survived to hospital discharge. Main postoperative complications were: acute kidney injury (n = 3), sepsis (n = 3), and stroke (n = 2). Mean follow-up time was 9 ± 5.9 years. Long-term mortality was 22.8% (13/57). No tumor recurrence was observed among survivors. There was a significant relationship between mortality and pathological characteristics of the tumor, and myxomas had higher survival rates. Conclusion: Surgical treatment of PCT is a safe and highly effective strategy associated with excellent short-term outcomes. Long-term survival remains poor for primary malignant tumors of the heart.