Benign cardiac tumors and tumorlike conditions

Abstract

Benign primary cardiac tumors and tumorlike conditions are rare, yet important surgical and autopsy pathology specimens. Although many of these entities are clinically silent, a few can cause significant morbidity or even sudden death. Some cardiac tumors arise in the setting of genetic disorders. Providing the correct diagnosis for a cardiac mass lesion will aid in patient care and genetic counseling. Therefore, a familiarity of these tumors is essential for both surgical and forensic pathologists. This comprehensive and up-to-date review describes the key clinical, gross, and histologic findings for 16 distinct entities. It also provides differential diagnoses and key facts to differentiate between similar appearing tumors.