New York man, 32, diagnosed with largest heart tumor ever

A 32-year-old man who suffered burning chest pains for years was found to have what could possibly be the largest heart tumor ever recorded.

Jake Cohen said doctors had dismissed his concerns of chest pains since he was young until his blood pressure dropped dangerously low during a stress test.

An emergency MRI revealed that the New Yorker had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in his heart, which doctors think could have been growing since he was born.

Surgery removed the extremely rare heart tumor six months ago and for some of Cohen’s experienced doctors at Columbia University Medical Center, this was the first time they had seen one.

 

Jake Cohen, 32, pictured with his wife Jessica said he’s lucky to be a alive after a rare tumor was discovered growing in his heart 

Cohen's tumor was the size of a tennis ball and may be the largest cardiac tumor ever recorded 

Cohen’s tumor was the size of a tennis ball and may be the largest cardiac tumor ever recorded 

Cohen said that he had been experiencing burning chest pains that left him feeling sick after exercise.

Doctors visits would end with him going home to take over-the-counter antacid medicine for heart burn.

‘They told me it was probably nothing, and I would accept it, he told CBS New York, ‘But I really kind of felt something was off.’  

Six months ago he went for a cardiac stress test at Columbia University Medical Center, where he exercised on a treadmill while his heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure were closely monitored.

But Cohen’s blood pressure dropped drastically low.

After being rushed to the emergency room and undergoing an MRI, doctors discovered the tumor in his heart.

‘Jake’s tumor is the largest one I have ever seen,’ said Dr Yoshifumi Naka, a surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center.

‘The tumor was inside the tumor capsule and then expanding, expanding, expanding,’ he added.

WHAT IS A HEART TUMOR?

Cardiac tumors are abnormal growths in the heart or heart valves.   

The tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). 

Tumors that begin growing in the heart and stay there are called primary tumors. 

Those that start in another part of the body and move to the heart (metastasize) are secondary tumors.

Most cardiac tumors are benign. But, even benign tumors can cause complications due to their size and location. 

Cardiac tumors in general, are rare an 20-year Hong Kong study of 12,000 autopsies only found them in seven bodies.

Cohen had a primary cardiac tumor, meaning that it began growing in his heart.

Primary cardiac tumors are rare, affecting one in 1,000 to 100,000 people.

This is opposed to secondary or metastasized tumors that start in another part of the body and makes its way to the heart. 

These tumors are 30 to 40 times more common.  

Luckily, it was benign, meaning it was not cancerous.

However, doctors said due to its large size it began disrupting Cohen’s heart function.

An emergency surgery removed the massive growth and now Cohen said he feels much better. 

‘Now, three, four days a week I’m in the gym and trying to get in good shape, and really just trying to live a really healthy life,’ he said.  

A 20-year study from Hong Kong performed 12,000 consecutive autopsies and found only seven primary tumors in the heart. 

Cardiologist Dr Thomas Cosola said in his 17 years of practice, he has only seen two cardiac tumors.

Cohen’s prognosis is positive and doctors said they are optimistic that the tumor will not grow back. 

The husband is thankful to be alive and said: ‘I feel extremely lucky.’

Cohen took to Facebook and wrote: ‘Today, I feel better than ever and have learned the true meaning of love and compassion.’ 

Cohen's MRI shows the tumor as a white mass in his heart that doctors think may have been growing since he was born

Cohen’s MRI shows the tumor as a white mass in his heart that doctors think may have been growing since he was born



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk