Side effects of radiation with hormone therapy & heart conditions

Posted by jkpeter @jkpeter, Sep 8 10:40am

Am about to start radiation (Conebeam) therapy along with ADT therapy. ..Zytiga and Lupron (Eligard). Drs prescribed 40 sessions of radiation and at least 2 years of hormonal therapy. Though my Gleason score was 4+4 the cancer is localized and has not spread outside the prostate. However and genome/profile testing was done, called a decifer (microsection) test...and results put me in high risk saying aggressive tumor and positive nodules in prostate. I'm 76 yrs old and take several meds to deal with atrial fibrilation and high blood pressure. Is it safe to be on this treatment with side effects that relate to increase blood pressure and rapid heart beat?
jkpeter

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

I can't answer your personal medical question, obviously, but my doctor did refer me for a TTE (echo cardiogram) about a year in, and then a full session of imaging and stress tests at the university Heart Institute a couple of months after that, just to make sure all was well with my heart.

It would be worth talking to your medical team specifically about monitoring your heart health while you're on ADT, and it's also OK to get a second opinion if you're not happy with their plan (or lack of one).

Best wishes!

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I had Afib events in 2004 and 2006. Afib didn’t come back until I started taking Zytiga. Zytiga gave me high blood pressure for which I have to take three different pills twice a day. It also caused me to have 3 Afib events over 2.5 years, the last of which put me in the hospital for four days. At that point my oncologist pulled me off of Zytiga and put me on Darolutamide. Blood pressure went way down.

Zytiga is known to cause blood pressure issues. Look it up on the web.

I am 76 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010. Because I have BRCA2 I’ve had to stay on ADT for seven years now. Gleason 4+3 which makes it much less aggressive. If I even reduce ADT my PSA rises quickly.

I know a couple of people who have had their doctors not put them on Zytiga because they had heart issues. The thing is, Zytiga is the best place to start followed by one of the lutamides 2nd according to this article in the Lancet.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(19)30688-6/abstract
I wish you luck.

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My husband has the palb2 gene part of the brca2 family and his adt and zytiga is scheduled for 18-24 months.

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Was taking zytiga for about 1 year. After having a heart attack, was taken off it immediately! Was told it's bad for the heart.

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@northoftheborder

I can't answer your personal medical question, obviously, but my doctor did refer me for a TTE (echo cardiogram) about a year in, and then a full session of imaging and stress tests at the university Heart Institute a couple of months after that, just to make sure all was well with my heart.

It would be worth talking to your medical team specifically about monitoring your heart health while you're on ADT, and it's also OK to get a second opinion if you're not happy with their plan (or lack of one).

Best wishes!

Jump to this post

I'm 84 + years young .
I just completed : An EKG , A Doppler Caroid , An Echo Cardiogram and a 2 day Nuclear ( Active ) Stress Test i.e. On the treadmill followed by Special Camera Photos . No treadmill the 2nd day ( resting test ) - Just the tracer injection with photos .
This is the most accurate stress test .

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@clandeboye1

I'm 84 + years young .
I just completed : An EKG , A Doppler Caroid , An Echo Cardiogram and a 2 day Nuclear ( Active ) Stress Test i.e. On the treadmill followed by Special Camera Photos . No treadmill the 2nd day ( resting test ) - Just the tracer injection with photos .
This is the most accurate stress test .

Jump to this post

Great! I hope the results are as you're hoping.

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The mention of heart issues (either pre-existing or side effects that develop with treatment) tipped me off to let members know about a cancer specialty called cardio-oncology. This may be available where you receive treatment.

Here's info about the program at Mayo Clinic that offers expertise in addressing heart problems potential or current issues. The Cardio-Oncology Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/cardio-oncology-clinic/overview/ovc-20442193) evaluates people prior to cancer treatment and patients who have experienced side effects due their treatment.

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I advocated hard for to switch from Lupron (Eligard) to Orgovyx. For a week or two after my first Eligard shot, my blood pressure was extremely high and difficult to control. I went to a cardiologist who said I was in borderline heart failure. I’ve had high blood pressure for years and significant family history of heart disease. I also take Zytiga and now take three different BP medications daily (as opposed to one pre-treatment). So far, it’s working. You might look into Orgovyx and see if that might help.

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I can only give my personal experience, not medical advice, but when I was on monthly Lupron shots I had multiple episodes of tachycardia per week. I switched to Orgovyx and the frequency of episodes declined for about a month and now, five months past my last Lupron shot, I haven't had an episode since and am still on Orgovyx for another month.

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@ddl

I advocated hard for to switch from Lupron (Eligard) to Orgovyx. For a week or two after my first Eligard shot, my blood pressure was extremely high and difficult to control. I went to a cardiologist who said I was in borderline heart failure. I’ve had high blood pressure for years and significant family history of heart disease. I also take Zytiga and now take three different BP medications daily (as opposed to one pre-treatment). So far, it’s working. You might look into Orgovyx and see if that might help.

Jump to this post

A lot of doctors will not prescribe Zytiga for someone with a heart condition. It causes high blood pressure in a lot of people. I never had high blood pressure but after taking Zytiga , I now have to take three blood pressure medicines twice a day. It also caused me to have three Afib events in 2 1/2 years. After the third one, my oncologist pulled me off it. Now on Darolutamide and BP is around 105/63 most days. With Zytiga it was over 130.

Never had any heart problems with being on Lupron for four years before taking Zytiga.

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