Young women who undergo radiation therapy for left breast cancer are at increased risk of developing a cardiovascular disorder a few years later, according to a study published by the American college of radiology.
Radiation therapy is an essential part of the treatment of breast cancer. As pointed out by American radiologists, the 10-year survival rate for women under 50 at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is over 90% for stage I disease and over 75% for stage II disease. But “it is important that clinicians caring for young breast cancer patients communicate the importance of radiation therapy for cancer treatment, while also explaining the need for long-term attention to be paid to it. the possible risk of heart disease, especially for women receiving left-sided radiotherapy “explains Pr Gordon Watt, lead author of the study.
Researchers tracked the cardiovascular health of over 900 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1985 and 2008 when they were under 55 years old. A total of 46 participants reported a diagnosis of coronary heart disease, with 91% of diagnoses occurring more than five years after radiation therapy. In the follow-up study of up to 27 years, the overall incidence of coronary heart disease in women who received left-sided radiotherapy was 10.5% versus 5.8% for women who received right-sided radiotherapy. “Given the latency between radiation exposure and the development of cardiovascular events, it is important that young women who have received radiotherapy to the left breast are considered to be at higher risk during their lifetimes. researchers.
An increased risk of heart failure
In a study published in 2018 by the American Heart Association, Professor Laxmi Mehta, of the University of Ohio (United States) already announced that some patients with breast cancer could be exposed to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, in particular heart failure. “Any woman who is going to undergo treatment for breast cancerwhether or not she has heart disease early on, should be aware of the potential effects of treatments on her heart. “, he had explained.
According to the doctor, certain cancer treatments, such as targeted therapies HER-2 (a specific type of breast cancer) can cause weakening of the heart muscle. In some cases, the reduction in heart function is temporary, and stopping treatment or adding heart medicines may improve this function. But in some patients, heart failure can be permanent. “Early signs of heart trouble may indicate the need to slow down or change treatment” he clarified. He stresses, however, that his warning must above all not distract women from their treatment. But that this should allow them to make informed decisions with their doctor on the best treatment to follow and on strategies to minimize damage to the heart.
>> In France, the French Federation of Cardiology has launched the Baccarat project (Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer and Cardiotoxicity) in collaboration with the Cardiovascular Epidemiology team of Dr Sophie Jacob, from INSERM Toulouse, in order to to explore the possible links between treatment of breast cancer by radiotherapy and cardiac impairment. A few women treated for breast cancer were recruited to check the effect of the rays on the heart. Each patient was included before radiotherapy for an initial cardiac assessment. Two other cardiac check-ups are scheduled at 6 and 24 months after radiotherapy. In addition, for each patient a precise assessment of the doses absorbed by the different areas of the heart is performed. From all these measurements, a risk model will be built to know the individual risk of cardiac dysfunction of patients.
Source:
- Left Breast Radiation Therapy Doubles Heart Disease Risk Compared to Right Breast Radiation Therapy in Young Women, American college of radiology, September 2021
- Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer: Where These Entities Intersect: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, Circulation, February 2018
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