title: [Cardiac tumors].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumours of the heart are rare, but of great clinical interest as the majority are benign and amenable to radical excision.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on 30 patients with cardiac tumours resected at the National Hospital, Oslo, Norway from 1990 to 1999. Data were obtained from patient files.
  
  
  RESULTS
  27 patients had benign tumours, 25 of which were myxomas predominantly located in the left atrium. One patient had a primary malignant tumour (rhabdomyosarcoma) and two had secondary malignant tumours (metastases from malignant tumours). All patients were alive at follow-up four to ten years after operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient with benign tumours are cured by surgery, whereas in malignant primary tumours the surgery will most often be palliative. Surgery for cardiac metastases may be indicated in selected symptomatic patients.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxkirurgisk avdeling Hjerte- og lungeklinikken Rikshospitalet 0027 Oslo.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Baksaas
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Geiran
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Svennevig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010166:Palliative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012207:Rhabdomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery