Chemo or radiotherapy do NOT raise people's risk of heart disease

People one feared heart cells were damaged by the drugs blasting tumours
Radiotherapy to the left breast was a concern as this is where the heart lies
Treatment was also thought to lead to an enzyme that increased the risk
Study found no greater risk of death from heart disease than average person
Treatment may have be more precise or screening may identify at-risk patients

By Victoria Allen Science Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 16:40 BST, 9 April 2018 | Updated: 16:40 BST, 9 April 2018

Breast cancer patients have no greater risk of dying of heart disease following chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

There have long been fears about heart cells being damaged by the toxic drugs used to blast breast cancer tumours.

Radiotherapy to the left breast is a particular concern as this is the same side of the body as the heart.

But a study of almost 350,000 women has found breast cancer patients given chemotherapy and radiation treatment have no greater risk of death from heart disease than the general population.

It may be that treatment has become more precise, so that heart cells are less likely to be damaged by breast cancer. Or medics may simply be more aware of the threat than before and carry out more screenings for heart problems in breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer patients have no greater risk of dying of heart disease following chemotherapy

DOES BREASTFEEDING AFFECT WOMEN’S RISK OF CANCER?

Breastfeeding reduces a woman’s risk of breast cancer, a report suggested in August 2017.

For every five months a woman breastfeeds, her risk of developing breast cancer is lowered by two percent, a study review found.

Researchers believe breastfeeding protects women against the condition as it makes them temporarily stop getting periods, which reduces their lifetime exposure to the hormone estrogen.

High estrogen levels have previously been linked to developing breast cancer.

Breastfeeding may also help to remove cells with damaged DNA that could otherwise lead to tumor onset.

The researchers, from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund, analysed 18 studies that examined breastfeeding.

Of these, 13 investigated the effects of the length of time spent lactating.

The report also found that carrying excess weight after menopause increases a woman’s risk of developing the condition, yet it is protective while women are still able to conceive.

For both pre- and postmenopausal women, alcohol increases their risk of breast cancer and exercise reduces it, the report adds.

Babies who are breastfed are also less likely to gain weight in later life, the study found.

Study author Alice Bender said: ‘It isn’t always possible for moms to breastfeed but for those who can, know that breastfeeding can offer cancer protection for both the mother and the child.’

‘Patients do not need to be worried about deadly heart diseases’

The study’s co-author, Dr Hermann Brenner from the German Cancer Research Centre, said: ‘We consider the result of our study to be very positive for the treatment of breast cancer.

‘It is particularly good news for the large number of affected patients that if they are in good medical care and have survived breast cancer, they do not need to be more worried about deadly heart diseases than women at the same age without breast cancer.’

The largest study of its kind evaluated data from women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2000 and 2011 in the US, and subsequently received treatment by radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

For both treatments, they found no increase in the risk of death from heart disease.

There are more than 55,000 cases of breast cancer in Britain every year, with one in eight women diagnosed during their lifetime.

No connection between breast cancer and heart disease

Philippa Hobson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Historically, high doses of some chemotherapy drugs used to treat women with breast cancer were associated with increased production of an enzyme that is related to causing heart failure.’

She added: ‘Prior to their breast cancer diagnosis, some women may already have undiagnosed coronary heart disease, increasing their risk of a heart attack and subsequent heart failure.

‘In the past it may have appeared that there was a connection between the treatments for breast cancer and heart disease, however it is reassuring to discover that this is not the case.’

A number of clinical trials have suggested that both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are linked to a higher risk of suffering heart disease. Little had been known about the risks of dying from heart disease.

The study’s lead author, Janick Weberpals, from the German Cancer Research Centre, said: ‘At first we were also surprised by this result. But we assume that our study paints a more realistic picture of the actual situation of treatment than clinical trials.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk

Chemo or radiotherapy do NOT raise people’s risk of heart disease

DOES BREASTFEEDING AFFECT WOMEN’S RISK OF CANCER?