title: [Diagnosis and therapy of primary malignant tumors of the heart and pericardium].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize and analyze the experience in diagnosis and treatment of primary malignant tumors of the heart and pericardium.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 24 patients with malignant tumors of the heart and pericardium treated in our hospital between Jun. 1980 and Mar. 2008 were retrospectively analyzed and the related literature was reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 24 patients received surgical treatment. Radical resection in 10 cases and partial resection in 6 cases were performed, and the remaining 8 patients received only surgical exploration due to unresectable tumors. One patient died of cardiopulmonary failure in early postoperative stage and all the other patients died within 4 years after operation due to recurrence or metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echocardiography, CT, MRI, 3D-CT, CT of coronary artery and cardiac angiography are helpful for the diagnosis and selection of operation mode. Histological examination is necessary for the final diagnosis. Early diagnosis and surgical resection of the tumor as complete as possible, and combination with post-operative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy may improve the survival of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Tian-xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: En-yi
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zong-yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult