[Primary tumors of the heart and pericardium]

Primary tumors of heart and pericardium are rare. In consequence of modern noninvasive diagnostic procedures, some of these tumors today can be detected intra vitam and become accessible to operative therapy, too. The authors describe 10 primary cardiac tumors (7 atrial myxomas, 1 endocardial endothelioma of the right ventricle, 1 papilloma of the pulmonary valve, 1 sarcoma of the right atrium) and 3 diffuse malignant mesotheliomas of the pericardium. On the basis of the own material the histomorphologic variability and the dangerous complications of these neoplasms are discussed.