Cancer of the heart muscle

1. Have any of you ever cared for a patient that had an actual cancer arising from the heart muscle? I have taken care of patients where another cancer invaded the pericardium, but no one with a primary in the heart. This was a topic of discussion today and I told them that I would post it......
   
   Thanks
2. 

   About suzanne4

   Joined: Dec '03; Posts: 37,336; Likes: 5,525

   7 Comments

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3. 
   Jun 19, '04

   Occupation: Intermediate Care Unit Joined: Jun '04; Posts: 77; Likes: 1

   No. I've never cared for anyone like that, or for that matter, seen anyone or heard of anyone with "heart cancer." Does it exist? In fact, is there any cancer that comes from muscle cells?
   
   
   Acosmic
4. 
   Jun 19, '04

   Occupation: RN - College Health Specialty: Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health ; Joined: Jun '02; Posts: 6,584; Likes: 70

   http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/diseases/rhabdo.html
   
   Here's one example of cancer that arises from the muscle - yes, it's possible.
   
   Suzanne, I've not heard of anyone with cancer of the heart muscle personally, but I know enough to know my experience is pretty limited compared to that of our 35,000+ members . I'll be interested in hearing replies here.
5. 
   Jun 21, '04

   Occupation: RN Specialty: 14 year(s) of experience in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg ; From: US ; Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 1,352; Likes: 81

   Quote from AcosmicRN

   ." Does it exist? In fact, is there any cancer that comes from muscle cells?

   Sarcoma = Cancer arising from connective tissue, bones, and muscles.
6. 
   Jun 21, '04

   Joined: Dec '03; Posts: 37,336; Likes: 5,525

   Interested to know if anyone has ever actually taken care of a patient
   with this.
   Quite rare, when it does exist...........
7. 
   Jun 21, '04

   Occupation: SAHM, pre-med student, potential world leader Joined: Feb '04; Posts: 1,172; Likes: 12

   I was reading somewhere...i'll find it and post it....about cancer having a difficult time replicating in muscle cells because of their unique composition. ...searching...
   
   here's one....
   
   http://www.emedicine.com/med/byname/cardiac-sarcoma.htm
   
   if you sign up for an account you can access more detailed abstracts.

   Last edit by nurseunderwater on Jun 21, '04
8. 
   Jun 21, '04

   Occupation: Haemetology nurse Specialty: Oncology/Haemetology/HIV ; From: US ; Joined: May '02; Posts: 7,040; Likes: 7,483

   Cancer can come from virtually any cell in the body. Though it is more common in cells that have a higher reproductive rate, it can occur in slower ones.
   
   Primary cardiac cancers are very rare but not unknown.
   
   Only two suspected primary cardiac cancer patients that I have known were Dx'd on autopsy...not much help to you.
   
   Try Sloan Kettering or MD Anderson - Houston website....or question Vanderbilt (large amounts of cancers in unusual presentations of unknown etiology.)
9. 
   Jun 22, '04

   Occupation: Neuro/Trauma ICU Nurse Specialty: Neurology, Neurosurgerical & Trauma ICU ; Joined: Nov '03; Posts: 655; Likes: 44

   I've taken care of a patient that had heart cancer, but it was not the primary cancer. It was pretty scary to start at the heart rate in the 120s to 130s all night!

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