But an unexpected and equally serious complication can arise when doing so.
“We are seeing more and more patients undergoing treatment for cancer who are experiencing cardiac complications of their therapy,” says Salim Hayek, M.D., a cardio-oncologist at Michigan Medicine’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
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Those complications affect patients with no known risk factors for heart disease — as well as individuals with other health issues unrelated to cancer.
In either case, the connection is gaining more attention from researchers and specialists.
Cardio-oncologists focus on preventing and minimizing heart damage caused by chemotherapy and radiation, an effect known as cardiotoxicity.
And they work as part of a larger cancer team.
“Our role is to advise our oncology colleagues on their patients’ risk of experiencing cardiovascular side effects of cancer treatment, recommend preventive measures, address cardiac complications, and monitor them closely throughout the course of their therapy,” Hayek says. SOURCE: healthblog.uofmhealth.org
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