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Cardiac tumors are rare but clinically significant. Understanding their types, presentations, and associations is crucial for medical students preparing for the USMLE Step 1.
Mnemonic: Adults make myxed drinks. (Myxomas are common in adults.)
Feature | Myxoma (Adults) | Rhabdomyoma (Children) | Metastatic Tumors |
---|---|---|---|
Most Common In | Adults | Children | Overall |
Location | 90% in the left atrium | Ventricles | Any cardiac chamber |
Symptoms | Syncope, fever, weight loss | Often asymptomatic | Depends on primary tumor |
Auscultation | Tumor plop sound (diastolic) | None | Pericardial friction rub (if pericardial involvement) |
Histology | Myxoma cells in glycosaminoglycans | Hamartomatous growths | Varies by tumor type |
Association | IL-6 (inflammatory symptoms) | Tuberous sclerosis | Melanoma, lung cancer |
Metastatic tumors are the most common overall.
Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors in adults.
Rhabdomyomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors in children and are linked to tuberous sclerosis.
Clinical presentation varies, but syncopal episodes + tumor plop sound strongly suggest myxoma.