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What is a Myxoma

Dr Marjorie Richardson, ambassador for Agir pour le Coeur des femmes and cardiologist at the Institut Cœur Poumon at Lille University Hospital, explains what a myxoma is, a small mass that develops inside the heart.

What is a Myxoma

Myxoma is an anatomically-pathologically rare primitive cardiac tumor, but it is the most common cardiac tumor. It is a benign tumor, and therefore does not give rise to distant lesions such as metastases. In three-quarters of cases, it develops in the left ear, one of the 4 chambers of the heart.
It affects more women than men, and is generally discovered between the ages of 20 and 60.
Most often, it is diagnosed on the basis of shortness of breath, syncope (sudden loss of consciousness), a heart murmur on auscultation, or as part of the work-up for a stroke. It may also be discovered by chance during a routine check-up.
Diagnosis is made on cardiac ultrasound, which reveals a mass of varying size, most often in the left atrium, attached to the septum between the left and right atria, or more rarely attached to other cardiac walls. A cardiac MRI or CT scan may be performed to confirm the diagnosis. The consequences of these tumors can be serious (embolism, mitral orifice blockage) and life-threatening.

Treatment is based on cardiac surgery to remove the entire tumour. Recurrence is rare.
In the case of the testimonial published on www.agirpourleccoeur des femmes, it seems that the tumor was close to a heart valve. To remove the entire tumor, the surgeon had to replace the valve with a prosthesis. Prostheses used in young people are made of metal, and therefore require long-term treatment to thin the blood.

Any abnormal, recurrent or persistent symptoms, such as shortness of breath or loss of consciousness (syncope), should prompt the woman to consult her doctor for an appropriate cardiovascular check-up.

Read Elisabeth's testimonial.

 
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