Slowly growing cardiac tumor: a case of fibroelastoma

Echocardiographic follow-up for 16 years in an asymptomatic patient with mitral stenosis showed very slow growth of a mass attached to the mitral valve. The tumor doubling time was estimated to be 3.6 years. Surgical excision of the mass was performed when the patient eventually developed dyspnea on exertion, and histopathological examination revealed papillary fibroelastoma. Echocardiographic follow-up and anti-coagulation may be sufficient treatment for asymptomatic patients with papillary fibroelastoma.