Epidemiology and classification

Cardiac masses include tumours, thrombi, vegetations, calcific lesions, and other very rare conditions. Cardiac tumours include benign tumours and tumour-like lesions, malignant tumours, and pericardial tumours. The estimated prevalence for primary cardiac tumours is 1:2.000 and for secondary tumours 1:100 autopsies. The incidence of cardiac metastases ranges from 2.3% to 18.3% of patients with extra-cardiac malignancies. About 10% of primary cardiac tumours are malignant and 90% benign. The majority of primary benign cardiac tumours are myxomas, followed by papillary fibroelastomas. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas are the most common primary malignant cardiac tumours, followed by angiosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma.