Diagnosed with a heart fibro-elastoma , 50-50 chances it is cancer, how to take this thing forward?
My mother was diagnosed with a fibro-elastoma (1.5cmx 2cm) in PML of heart about an year ago. It was an accidental discovery during the clearance for surgical removal of a lipoma in left underarm. She had no symptoms except for prolonged mild fever which has stopped since the last 3 months. Recently a growth in the tumor (about 0.5cm) was reported through echo. The doctor advised Cardiac MRI.
The Cardiac MRI gave a different picture.
The size is about 2.5 to 3 cm (about 0.5cm growth in an year)
The tumor is not attached to any valve, instead it’s on the inner side of heart chamber (no damage to the heart wall)
The radiologist says its giving a very high contrast which means its vascular
They say it could be connected to the lipoma in her underarm(the lipoma was diagnosed through biopsy an year ago)
They say there is a 50-50 chance that the heart tumor is cancerous, and to confirm a biopsy will be done of the tumor which requires open heart surgery
We need your advise on how to take this thing forward. The tumor has been there for about 1.5 hear without a growth like that of cancer and my mother is normal without any symptoms except for Diabetes, high blood pressure and plus she is over weight .
Your help in this regard will be highly appreciated
Generally cardiac. Cancers are very rare and the possibility of being benign is present ..but after the biopsy will be taken..even if it is cancerous and its growth rate is not high..it can be treated with targeted radiotherapy and chemotherapy …The doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the area of your neck. A plastic introducer sheath (a short, hollow tube through which the catheter is placed) is inserted through a small incision and into a blood vessel in the neck. A bioptome is inserted through the sheath and threaded to the right ventricle. X-rays, called fluoroscopy, are used to position the bioptome properly.
The bioptome is used to obtain samples of the heart muscle. Each sample is about the size of the head (top) of a pin.
When the samples have been collected, the catheter and sheath will be removed and firm pressure will be held over the area to stop bleeding.
The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes. However, the preparation and recovery add several hours. You should be able to go home the same day of the procedure…
Thanks
In my opinion you should do the biopsy , even if it turns out to be benign you should re scan it every 6 month for size changes
Sorry but it is most likely cancerous
Good Luck
hi
i do not think you need a open heart surgery for biopsy.
percutaneous fluoroscopy guided catheterisation techniques can do the work.
but even if its increasing at a slow pace,biopsy is recommended to see the histopathology of the lesion.
depending upon this report,further treatment can be initiated.
thanks
HI
LESS LIKELY TO BE CANCER.
IF THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS AT PRESENT,THEN I DO NOT SEE ANY REASON FOR AGGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT.
ONLY IF SHE HAS SYMPTOMS,THEN YOU CAN THINK OF THE DIAGNOSTIC MODALITIES.
hello there
such lesions are usually benign and grow at a very low pace.
you should not worry about it unless you have any symptoms.
no active management required at present.