Chemotherapy side effects: A cause of heart disease?

Can chemotherapy increase the risk of heart disease?

- Judy / Minnesota

Answer

Some chemotherapy drugs may increase the risk of heart disease, especially weakness of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). Certain types of chemotherapy also increase the risk of heart attack, especially during infusion of the medication. Fortunately, heart disease associated with chemotherapy is relatively rare — and not all chemotherapy drugs carry the potential side effect of heart damage.

It's important to note that some newer anti-cancer treatments — such as trastuzumab (Herceptin) for breast cancer — may cause heart damage as well, although the effect is often reversible.

If your doctor is considering using a chemotherapy drug that may affect your heart, he or she may test your heart function before starting treatment. During treatment, you may need periodic heart monitoring as well. If you have a pre-existing heart condition, such as cardiomyopathy, your doctor may suggest a different type of chemotherapy.

Generally, the risk of heart disease associated with certain chemotherapy drugs increases with the total lifetime amount of the drug you receive. To minimize the risk of heart damage, your doctor will carefully monitor the amount of each type of chemotherapy drug you receive. If you experience chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack during chemotherapy, report it immediately to your health care team.

In addition, some cancers require radiation therapy. If the area of your body receiving radiation includes your heart, you have an increased risk of cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and heart attack. The combination of radiation and chemotherapy can further increase your risk of heart damage. However, your doctor can take steps to reduce these risks as much as possible.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

• Cardiomyopathy

RELATED

• Chemobrain: Can Ritalin alleviate symptoms?
• American ginseng: Can it relieve cancer fatigue?
• Cancer pain: Relief is possible
• Chemotherapy: Drug treatment uses chemicals to kill cancer cells
• Chemotherapy nausea and vomiting: Prevention is best defense
• Cancer fatigue: Why it occurs and how to cope
• Chemotherapy and hair loss: What to expect during treatment
• Diarrhea: Cancer-related causes and how to cope
• Mouth sores: Cancer-related causes and how to cope
• Podcast: Chemotherapy side effects — What to expect
• No appetite? How to get nutrition during cancer treatment
• Eating during cancer treatment: Tips to make food tastier
• Podcast: Managing nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy
• Podcast: Managing fatigue during chemotherapy
• Podcast: Complementary and alternative therapies for cancer symptoms