TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Treatment of childhood heart tumors
Source: Childhood Heart Tumors (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: October 4, 2024 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Types of treatment for childhood heart tumors
Treatment of newly diagnosed childhood heart tumors may include:
watchful waiting for children with rhabdomyoma (a benign tumor), which sometimes shrinks and goes away on its own
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targeted therapy (everolimus or sirolimus) for children with rhabdomyoma or tuberous sclerosis
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chemotherapy followed by surgery (which may include removing some or all of the tumor or a heart transplant) for children with sarcomas
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surgery to completely remove the tumor for children with other types of heart tumors
radiation therapy for children with cancerous tumors that cannot be removed by surgery
If a cancerous tumor comes back after treatment, your child's doctor will talk with you about what to expect and possible next steps. There may be treatment options that could shrink the tumor or control its growth. If there are no treatments, your child can receive care to control symptoms from cancer so they can be as comfortable as possible.
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice