Information about breast cancer

The heart deserves more attention after cancer treatment

More and more people are surviving cancer thanks to early detection and better treatments. That’s good news, but there’s also a downside: some cancer treatments can damage the heart. These side effects still don’t get enough attention and can sometimes take years to appear.

A Swedish study* followed more than 8,000 women with breast cancer for about eleven years. The researchers found that these women were more likely to develop heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias than women without a history of breast cancer. Various cancer treatments can damage the heart and blood vessels. For example, certain types of chemotherapy can weaken the heart muscle and cause heart failure. Radiation therapy to the left breast can cause damage to the heart muscle and heart valves, sometimes not until decades later. Immunotherapy can also lead to inflammation of the heart muscle, arrhythmias, or heart failure.

Age, being overweight, smoking, and a lack of physical activity also play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. As a result, it is not always clear which heart problems are caused by cancer treatment and to what extent lifestyle factors contribute to them. In any case, a healthy lifestyle is especially important if you have had breast cancer.

Follow-up Care After Cancer

European guidelines emphasize the importance of focusing on heart health in people who have had cancer. Follow-up care should be tailored to individual risk and take into account the cancer treatment received and any existing cardiovascular diseases. Getting enough exercise, eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and avoiding being overweight are the cornerstones of preventing heart problems after breast cancer. Anyone taking medication for high blood pressure or high cholesterol should continue to take it as prescribed. Early detection and management of heart problems can help protect the health and quality of life of cancer survivors.

*Yang H, Bhoo-Pathy N, Brand J et al. Risk of heart disease following treatment for breast cancer – results from a population-based cohort study. Epidemiology and Global Health 2022; 11:e71562.

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