Breast cancer treatment doubles risk of developing heart disease

BREAST cancer survivors who undergo common forms of treatment are twice as likely to develop heart disease, research shows.

The study of almost 15,000 women found that women who underwent radiotherapy saw a sharp increase in rates of cardiac disease, while some forms of chemotherapy were linked to a fourfold rise in heart failure.

Experts said that women who receive such treatment should undergo screening in subsequent years to check the health of their heart, in order to protect them from heart disease, Britain’s second biggest killer.

The research by the Netherlands Cancer Institute tracked 14,645 breast cancer sufferers between 1970 and 2009, and examined those at risk of heart disease. The study found that 11 per cent of those who had undergone radiotherapy of the lymph nodes behind the sternum went on to develop the disease, compared with just six per cent of those who underwent different forms of cancer treatment.

Rates of heart attacks were 50 per cent higher in the radiotherapy group, compared with the general population.

Women given anthracycline-based chemotherapy had rates of heart failure four times those of patients who had other types of treatment.

When combined with radiotherapy of the lymph nodes behind the sternum, there was a nine-fold increased risk of heart disease, the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found.

Researchers said that modern radiation techniques would be expected to have a lower impact, because they exposed the heart to lower doses. Experts added that women diagnosed with the disease today would normally be given an extra drug called a taxane in order to reduce risks to the heart.

Melanie Sturtevant, policy manager at Breast Cancer Now, said: “This vital study highlights the importance of all patients being informed about how the benefits of their treatment weigh up with the risks – but we’d urge them not to be unduly concerned by these findings. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy can have some difficult side-effects, they are incredibly effective options for so many patients and remain the cornerstones of breast cancer treatment.”

Any patient with concerns about the risks of breast cancer treatment should discuss them with their doctor, she said.