Cardiovascular tumor-like conditions

Tumors of the heart may be neoplastic or nonneoplastic. The latter are the topic of this section and include hamartomas, heterotopias, cysts and inclusions, age-related growths, reactive proliferations, thrombotic lesions, and infections or infestations. Their importance lies not only in the fact that they can mimic true neoplastic lesions but also that they can, of their own accord, produce obstructions, arrhythmias, embolization, heart failure, and sudden death.