Cancer doesn't go away after treatment! Doctor: Two groups should be careful to prevent "cardiovascular" problems
Advances in cancer treatment over the past 30 years have improved survival rates for cancer patients and enabled more people to remain free of recurrence for years after treatment. But cancer treatments can sometimes cause problems with the cardiovascular and circulatory systems, called “cardiotoxicity.” Patients recovering from cancer may face heart damage from chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, symptoms that may reduce quality of life and increase the risk of heart-related death.
Doesn’t cancer go away after treatment? Two major groups should be careful to prevent “cardiotoxic” attacks
Dr. Guo Zhidong, Department of General Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Cathay General Hospital, said that certain cancer treatments such as breast cancer chemotherapy (cranberry), chest radiotherapy, certain targeted therapies, monoclonal antibodies, and drugs to prevent cancer recurrence, etc. It can cause the heart to pump less efficiently, causing changes in blood flow and even increasing the risk of blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack.
The most common cardiac complication is congestive heart failure; the most serious cardiotoxicity is myocarditis, coronary artery disease, and even acute myocardial infarction. Other heart problems that may also occur as a result of cancer treatment include low blood pressure, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and valvular disease.
When starting cancer treatment, patients who already have heart disease and those with risk factors for heart disease (such as smoking, obesity, high-fat eating habits, lack of exercise, family history of heart disease, etc.) may have a relatively higher risk of treatment; Certain chemotherapy drugs can also affect the heart muscle and blood vessels, and taking these drugs may have a higher risk of cardiotoxicity, especially if you have underlying cardiac risk factors. Additionally, patients who receive radiation therapy to the chest may be at risk of heart damage because of the close proximity of the heart to the radiation.
Dr. Guo Zhidong said that during and after cancer treatment, regular measurement of deformation ultrasound analysis can detect small changes in heart size and ventricular systolic function. This may be an early sign of cardiotoxicity and requires timely intervention by clinicians, such as administering cardiac Protect medications or even change chemotherapy or targeted drug prescriptions.
How to know whether cancer treatment is “cardiotoxic”? You should discuss the “3 major questions” with your doctor before treatment
Dr. Guo Zhidong said that to prevent cardiotoxicity caused by cancer treatment, patients should understand two important issues before treatment. The first is whether they have a history of heart disease and whether they have risk factors for heart disease. Next, you should also discuss the following three questions with your doctor:
Whether there will be a foreseeable risk of cardiac damage in future treatment plans (whether the treatment itself is cardiotoxic).
Whether special tests will be ordered to screen for heart problems before, during, and after treatment.
Whether the treatment course itself includes chest radiation therapy.
Dr. Guo Zhidong explained that before starting cancer treatment for cancer patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic treatments, this assessment can help doctors identify patients at risk of cardiotoxicity and take measures to minimize the patient’s risk. Evaluation items include: personal medical history, family medical history, comprehensive cardiovascular physical examination, cardiac function tests, including cardiac ultrasound and cardiac deformation analysis.
Among them, cardiac deformation analysis is a new form of myocardial function measurement method, which is comprehensively analyzed by cardiac ultrasound and specialized computer software computing technology. It accurately assesses changes in cardiac function caused by potentially cardiotoxic treatments. Many patients worry about whether the changes in the heart caused by cancer treatment are permanent. While some changes appear to be reversible, and other damage appears to be permanent, it is unclear how long the changes will last.
Active measures are needed to avoid cardiotoxicity! Stop drinking, smoking, and change your diet and exercise
Dr. Guo Zhidong reminds cancer patients that they can take more active actions before receiving cancer treatment to avoid cardiotoxicity. First, tell your doctor about any personal or family history of heart disease. Also ask your doctor whether your cancer treatment poses any risks to your heart and blood vessels. In addition, if you have bad habits such as smoking, you must quit, maintain a healthy diet and exercise more. Avoid alcohol or caffeine during cancer treatment as it can cause palpitations and a rapid heart rate.
Always tell your doctor if you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or swelling of your lower limbs during or after treatment. A final point to keep in mind is not to attribute all symptoms to “normal” side effects of cancer treatment. As cancer survival rates continue to improve, so does the medical community’s understanding of cardiotoxicity associated with cancer treatment. Scientists are working hard to understand more about the causes of cardiotoxicity, hoping to enable early detection, treatment and most importantly prevention of cardiotoxicity in the future.
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