Heart cancer is an extremely rare type of cancer. Cancer of the heart is divided into primary tumors of the heart and secondary tumors of the heart. The heart can also be affected by treatment for cancer from other parts of the body.

Primary tumors of the heart originate from the normal tissues that make up the heart. Secondary tumors of the heart on the other hand are typically either metastatic from another part of the body or infiltrate the heart through extension from the surrounding tissues. Secondary tumors are more common than primary tumors

Myxoma is the most common benign tumor of the heart and makes up about 77 percent of all primary tumors of the heart. Reticulum cell sarcomas, angiosarcomas, myxosarcomas and rhabdomyosarcomas are some examples of malignant tumors of the heart. About 20 percent of primary tumors of the heart are malignant. Valvular are a subset of primary tumors of the heart and are found on the valves of the heart. These tumors are always equally distributed in the four valves of the heart and the vast majority are usually papillary fibroelastomas.

Most of the tumors of the heart are benign and are usually not fatal. Sometimes however, benign tumors can be lethal due to their direct extension into the electrical conduction system of the heart or due to emboli from the tumor mass lethal sequelae. Malignant tumors particularly cardiac sarcomas lead to death within 2 years of diagnosis with heart cancer. This is because they rapidly infiltrate, the myocardium of the heart and obstruct the normal flow of blood within then heart.