Heart cancer is an uncommon form of cancer, which affects the tissues of the heart. It is also known as cardiac sarcoma. In most number of cases, cancer cells metasize from another part of the body such as kidneys, breast, liver, lungs into the tissues of the heart. However, this is not the case always. There are some incidences where a tumor starts to grow within the tissues of the heart. Similar to many other forms of this deadly disease, the exact causes of heart cancer are also not known. Heart cancer can happen without the presence of any major visible symptoms. Sometimes, it may cause pain in the chest, fatigue, tightness, shortness of breath, a drop in blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms.

Heart cancer is a fatal disease. However, there are some treatment options which can help in lowering the symptoms and increasing the quality of life of the patient. The most common treatment options for heart cancer include:


: It is possible to go for radiation for treating heart cancer. But in the long run, this radiation can cause serious damages to other tissues in the heart, which can increase the risk of other heart diseases and coronary artery disease. As heart cancer is a rare disease, there have not yet been enough studies which can enumerate the merits and/ or demerits of using radiation.


The results of using chemotherapy as a treatment options for heart cancer are mixed. Some patients respond to this method in a satisfactory manner and go into remission. Some other patients do not respond to chemotherapy and this method does not stop the progress of the disease within them. It only helps in reducing the symptoms, making the patients lead a more comfortable life until they succumb to the disease. Some other patients receive absolutely no benefit from this treatment at all.

Injections and Drainage:

In those cases of cancer, where the tumor starts to secrete a fluid which interferes with the heart’s capability to pump blood normally, a needle is inserted inside it to help in draining out the fluid and removing the pressure. Additionally, certain medications which slow down the growth rate of the tumor may be injected to slow down the disease’s progression.

Heart Transplant:

In a few cases where the heart cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, heart transplant surgery can also be performed. However, this procedure is a complicated one and it poses several risks because the drugs used for preventing transplant rejection might cause the cancer to return.