Dlbcl tumor on heart

A rare location of a common lymphoma

Lymphoma is known as a "liquid cancer", and so may present anywhere in the body. I have never heard of a tumor forming on or in the heart, but it is just as treatable as if it was anywhere else, which is the good news in all of this. What is important is if the lymphoma cells have any special mutations which might make them a challenge to treat. That would depend on the pathology that is done. Particularly in cases of lymphoma, a second opinion on the pathology report and biopsy sample is always an excellent idea, as lymphomas can be mis-diagnosed, or even missed completely. Since its type and sub-type will determine the treatment, it can be crucial to know precisely what it is. If you are in the US, the best pathology labs for a review of the biopsy are located in National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Centers. You can search state-by-state for the nearest center. 

Mmacko said:

That would be me ! Diagnosed

That would be me ! Diagnosed at 20 yrs old on 8/15/16z currently in remission as of 12/31/16. My mass was forming right against my heart and it was about 8x7x9 inches in length. Completed 6 rounds to R-Epoch with getting to a level 3 dosage 

Clarity

Be careful to differentiate between a node-encapulated tumor pressing against or adjacent to an organ, verses actually growning "on" an organ.  The former, as PoGuy noted, is hardly ever heard of.  The latter is actually rooted into the host organ, and alters the organ's biochemical and/or mechanical funtioning.  The most common organs for lymphoma to metastasize to are (1) bone (far and away the most common) and (2) the lungs.  But also as Po noted, it is systemic, and can go essentially anywhere.  But it is moving then toward a metastatic (spread) point, not an origin-point.  An extremely rare exception are the few CNS diseases that seem to begin in the spinal fluid.

Compare, for example, typical liver cancer: this is a type of cells that begin from liver cells themselves, and baloon into tumors, eventually destroying the funtions of the liver. The same is true of lung cancer (both small- and non-small cell types), and so forth.  I had nodes enlarged inside my lungs also, but never had "lung cancer."

Similiarily, I was first diagnosed from a heart scan: the ER though I was having unstable angina (a 'heart attack'), and sent me to a regional chest pain center via ambulance.  It was later determined that the pain was from a mass of tumors (nodes) pressing against the exterior of the heart.  These and all others were a  conventional strain of lymphoma, and treated as such.   I had tumors from the neck to the pelvis, and across both axillary points (armpits), as well as daisy-chain wrapped around the escophagus, and the superior vena cava, end-to-end.  In short, a massive amount of disease, all over.  But I had no form of organ cancer, and the cellularity of my lymphoma had nothing to do  with the heart, lungs, or escophagus.

My heart pain was limited to one afternoon, and did not return, although I did not begin chemo until at least a month after that episode, probably longer than that.  If the pain had returned or worsened, I do not know what could have been done.  I suppose it well could have become life-threatening or even collapsed the heart in a worst-case scenario.  Cancers kill in a variety of ways, but destroying various organ's ability to operate is the most common: the heart can no longer pump, the lungs can no longer oxygenate blood, ect.

max