Cancer treatments can increase the risk of heart problems but there are ways to reduce this serious problem, University of Newcastle Professor Aaron Sverdlov says. Login or signup to continue reading Professor Sverdlov, a cardiologist and researcher, said anti-cancer drugs were "very effective". "They're a necessary evil," he said, adding that they can come with side effects.
Professor Sverdlov will join a panel of experts and patients for a free online event on Wednesday night. The event , run by the Newcastle-based Breast Cancer Trials and moderated by ABC broadcaster Annabel Crabb , will discuss breast cancer and heart health. A key topic will be that drugs such as chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy can cause side effects such as high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.
This problem, known as "cardio-toxicity", refers to damage or dysfunction of the heart muscle caused by medications or treatments. However, the general health of patients who take these drugs plays a key role in how susceptible they are to developing side effects. "It's important for people to manage diet and weight, exercise and not smoke," Professor Sverdlov said.
Hunter research, released last year, found that cancer survivors had "an eight-fold increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease" due to drug side effects. "The risk differs depending on what treatment a person gets for cancer, and the type of person," Professor Sverdlov said. Young people who get low-grade ca.