Synovial sarcoma (SS) represents only a small proportion of the soft-tissue sarcomas. In the World Health Organization classifications of cardiac tumors, SS was defined as a biphasic tumor composed of spindled and epithelioid areas, characterized by X;18 chromosomal translocations [1]. More than 80% arise in the deep soft tissue of extremities, especially around the knee, and the tumor frequently arises adjacent to joints or tendon sheaths. Histologically, SS is biphasic (BSS), characterized by epithelial and spindle cell components, or monophasic (MSS), characterized by the spindle cell component. Up to 50% of SS recur, usually within 2 years, but sometimes up to 30 years after diagnosis [2]. Quite a few large-population prognostic factor studies of SS have been published, but results have varied from report to report. Cardiac sarcomas often manifest clinical features, such as dyspnea and palpitation, that are similar to myxomas [3, 4]. Some patients may experience a long term before onset of symptoms, especially when they arise from the pericardium [3]. Therefore, these sarcomas are usually larger than their superficial counterparts. Owing to the poor understanding and indefinite conclusions for them, the correct preoperative diagnoses are always difficult to make, although varieties of examinations are performed to identify the lesion. Moreover, most cardiac sarcomas can seldom be completely removed, and are thus susceptible to recur. Despite the publication of numerous case reports and several series of cardiac sarcomas with long-term follow-up, prognostic factors are still being debated [5‐7]. Primary cardiac SS (PCSS) is an extremely rare entity, which was first described in 1978 by McAllister and Fenoglio [8] in a 30-year-old woman. Since then, a series of isolated case reports have been published. An analysis of reviews shows that PCSS is calculated to account for approximately 4.2% (1 of 117 [8, 9] ,2o f 75[10] ,1o f 24[6], 1o f 14[11], 3 of 24 [7], 2 of 17 [5], 2 of 14 [12] ,a nd 1o f 2 [13], respectively; mean, 4.2%) of the primary cardiac sarcomas. In previous case reports with literature reviews, researchers have described some clinical features, although, the characterizations, especially adjunctive diagnostic devices and treatment, remain poorly acknowledged. To the best of our knowledge, there are few large population studies of cardiac sarcomas and no accumulated knowledge of PCSS to date. We present an analysis of 60 patients with PCSS derived from 54 isolated articles in an effort to establish definite clinical, pathologic, treatment and outcome patterns of PCSS and to develop a rationale for prognostication in this disease.
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