Cardiac Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Survivors
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Publication: Journal of Clinical Oncology
July 15, 2024
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that incidences of cardiac dysfunction amongst breast cancer survivors increased eightfold within the span of 13 years. In the study, cardiac dysfunction is classified as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) that decreases by 50% after heart-damaging chemotherapy regimens. Late-onset cardiac dysfunction was most common among patients exposed to traditional radiation therapy. These findings provide evidence for surveillance post treatment for several years after cardiotoxic therapy, as well as the need to examine and reevaluate the efficacy of radiation treatment options offered to breast cancer patients, bearing long-term health outcomes in mind.
“Breast cancer occurs in a sensitive area of the body near the heart. Proton therapy for breast cancer involves targeted proton beams that can deliver high doses of radiation to destroy cancerous cells – while minimizing exposure to the heart, lungs, and healthy tissue near the breast. Proton therapy dramatically reduces the risk of radiation-associated heart disease for many breast cancer cases,” says radiation oncologist Jared Sturgeon, M.D., Ph.D.