title: The diagnosis, clinical course and follow-up of children with cardiac tumours - a single-centre experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhabdomyoma is the most frequent primary cardiac tumour in children (about 50% of all cardiac neoplasms in this population). Fibroma, myxoma, teratoma and haemangioma are less frequent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical presentation, diagnosis and follow-up of children diagnosed with cardiac tumours in our department between 1993 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the 15-year review we found 9 cases of cardiac tumours, confirmed in echo scan in every case and pathomorphologically in 5 out of 9 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac tumours were found in six boys and three girls, usually in the neonatal period. Cardiac murmur was the most common clinical symptom (4 cases). Two children were symptom-free. Out of the remaining children, two had circulatory failure and one had arrhythmia. Five children were operated on: three cases of rhabdomyoma, one fibroma and one teratoma. In 3 children who did not undergo surgery, the most probable diagnosis was rhabdomyoma. The follow-up (possible in 8 out of 9 cases, mean 7 years) showed that six children developed regularly and in two cases neurological abnormalities appeared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series, primary cardiac tumours presented as murmurs or circulatory failure. Most children needed surgery. In most cases, pathomorphology revealed rhabdomyoma. Follow-up showed regular development in six out of nine cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric cardiology, Silesian Paediatric Medical Center, Katowice, Poland. jkohut6@wp.pl
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kohut
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krzystolik-Ładzińska
authors.forename: Lesław
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szydłowski
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smoleńska-Petelenz
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giec-Fuglewicz
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pajak
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012207:Rhabdomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery