Cancer Treatment Induced Heart Disease

@amymichc Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am not sure how far you may be from Oregon Health and Science University [OHSU] in Portland area, a great teaching hospital. It is ranked Number 1, and I know several people who have gone there. My husband travels the 4 hours to go there annually for his kidney transplant checkup; we live in southern Oregon.

In the Seattle area is Harborview Medical Center, part of the University of Washington system [but being in mid-Seattle, it is a real pain to access] My sister worked there as an RN for 35+ years, and her commute was always a nightmare!

If you feel you need to get a second opinion, then follow your gut! Cardiac issues know no age range, is my thought. I recall a specialist telling me the same thing a couple decades ago about a condition I have, and my response was to cock my head over to one side and tell him. "Well, I just proved you wrong!"

I hope you will return if you have nay more questions, and let me know what you decide.
Ginger

Good morning, Amy, While our cancer treatments are life saving they can come with some pretty serious side effects of their own. Chemo and radiation treatments can both have an impact on our hearts. So it’s a bit of a surprise that your cardiologist is flippant about your concerns.
It’s important to listen to your gut instincts and at least get a second opinion. Do you have the ability to switch doctors? Is there a larger teaching hospital you could try?

I realize you’ve already seen this discussion by another members regarding radiation induced heart disease and hopefully read the entire thread. As you can see, you’re not alone.
I’ve also found some other sites discussing your concerns and posted those below.

You said medication is helping. What tests have you had run to rule out heart related issues?

Hello, my name is Amy, I had full body mantle radiation for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1993 in Duluth, MN. I have developed high blood pressure, dyspnea with exertion and chest pain. My cardiologist says I’m “too young to have heart trouble and have no risk factors”. I am living in the Pacific Northwest and trying to find a doctor that understands the risk of Radiation Induced Cardiac Disease. Medications are helping but I’m afraid there is more going on than they think. Any insight would be appreciated…

Hi @inali. You’ve definitely had a go of it. Wishing you a speedy recovery. God bless.

Hi Marti,
The stents did not prove to be an impediment to my recent open heart surgery. Since my RCA is 100% blocked, the surgeons hoped to be able to do a CABG while in there. While they harvested a vein from my left leg in preparation for the bypass, in the end they were unable to do it. Apparently there was nothing to bypass to. The vessels are either too small or too occluded. Anyway, my point is that - in my case at least - the existence of stents seemed to have no bearing on the surgery.

After two weeks at Mayo, I was discharged home. Within 3 days I was struggling to breathe and wound up admitted to my local hospital for another 9 days. I’m finally home and improving every day. There were two surgeons who performed my 8.5 hour surgery during which my aortic and mitral valves were replaced and my tricuspid was repaired. Recovery has been a bumpy road, but I think I’m finally on the mend. Just don’t ask me yet if it was worth it 😊

I chose tissue valves rather than mechanical, and must take Coumadin for three months. Apparently the risk of blood clots following this type of surgery is significant. My greatest challenge lately is finding a dosage which keeps my INR in the 2-3 range. Turns out that is not easy - at least not for my body.

I have some arrhythmia that didn’t exist before the surgery, but other than that I’m told that my heart’s in good shape and my valves are working beautifully. The hope is that over time the arrhythmia will resolve on its own. I look forward to the day when I feel better than I did before the surgery. For now I’m happy to have progressed enough to shower, dress, and toilet on my own without assistance. A lengthy hospital stay definitely destroys your dignity. It is good - if nothing else - to once again feel like a grown-up.

Hi Inali, after a long absence from this group due to other things, I finally saw my primary care Dr. and have a plan for moving forwards re: my RIHD. I see that you DID go ahead and have the triple valve surgery 5/18 and were still hospitalized as of 6/11. I hope that you are doing better now and might even be home by this time. Know this was a difficult decision. You are courageous. Please keep me/us updated with how you're doing. Marti

Yes I had total body radiation for Hodgkins in 1981, heart attack in 2014. Learned a lot since then about all the damage caused by radiation but not much before.

Your story is so similar to mine. My Hodgkin's treatment was 1978-79. I also have a miracle baby. Never ever had any idea my heart was so damaged until I sought a diagnosis and treatment for dyspnea beginning in 2016. After multiple tests and multiple doctors in various locations, I finally received a diagnosis of radiation induced heart disease at Mayo last October. Since then, there have been treatment options to determine. I had triple valve surgery May 18 and still hospitalized.

This full body mantal radiation treatment for Hodgkins was stopped shortly after my timing (1981). Thank God they knew how to stop it for me but I’m also happy they realized the issues with it and changed. I was also told that I’d never have children due to the radiation (this is a whole other story). I have a beautiful 30 year old daughter who the U if MN calls a “Miracle Baby”.