Cancer Treatment Induced Heart Disease

Hi Marti,
I have been spreading the message regarding the potential for heart damage as a result of cancer treatment. In just the last week I’ve encountered two women with recently diagnosed breast cancer. I gently raised the issue with them and encouraged them to talk to their oncologist about exploring ways to minimize heart damage. It’s a tough topic to even consider when dealing with such a diagnosis. You just want to survive the cancer. To have another worry thrust on you at such a vulnerable time feels intrusive. But while I regret sharing info that’s less than happy news, the fact that I wish I’d been forewarned when going through treatment keeps me telling the tale.

I so appreciate you sharing your story. I’m letting folks know about the CCS also. Please continue to share any interesting articles you find and I’ll do the same.

Hi Inali, I've been mostly away from the computer lately, so just saw your response today. It is so good that you are having your upcoming surgery at Mayo. And yes, your focus and positivity will be of great help to you while you are in the competent hands of the Mayo surgeons. I saw on another post that you enjoy things like reading and art. These are sustaining you before and will after your surgery as well as your positive family contacts.

Yes, I know it can be difficult finding lodging in Rochester. Hope you can find good places at a decent price for all of you.

Thanks for your kind words on my still beginning research into my condition. Like for you, this will undoubtedly be a long journey. I have much to learn and try (re: meds and first contacts with a cardiologist--may choose a Mayo one--it could very much be worth the drive!)

Please let us all know here how you are doing when you can after your surgery. Wishing you WELL!

The cancer education team just posted a related blog and video here on Mayo Clinic Connect. See
- Cancer Treatment and the Heart https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/cancer-treatment-and-the-heart-1/

Hi Marti,
You are so fortunate to be so close to Mayo! Our drive is about 7 hours, so even to go for a one day consultation is a major effort. However, Cleveland Clinic is even further away, so tempting as it is to check in there for a consultation because of their Radiation Heart Disease Clinic, that'll need to be a pass for us. There comes a time when you just need to put your faith in the skill of your doc/surgeon to handle whatever is encountered. My surgery at Mayo is a little over a month away, so I'm leaning into that and tamping down my tendency to keep wanting to investigate other options. I've got to get busy putting plans in place for family/friends to visit while I'm hospitalized and/or recovering there in Rochester. Temporary (affordable) housing is not easy to come by in that area - I guess because it is in such demand.

You always share such interesting/intriguing things 🙂 I'd never heard of Vitamin K2 until you mentioned it. I checked it out, but seems to be something I have to skip due to the blood thinners I'm on and likely to remain on indefinitely following valve replacement surgery.

It seems I've managed to acquire pretty much all the heart structural problems possible from radiation. Still, I have to keep in mind that I could be much worse off. The biggest challenge is to keep positive and focused on the good things in life. I could easily dissolve into feeling sorry for myself and retreating into a hermit-like existence. I fight everyday to keep as active as I can, and to communicate with family and friends about topics that are life affirming and uplifting. At the same time, I'm sounding the alarm to those I know who've had radiation to the chest for breast or other cancers. At the very least, they should consider having the CCS!

You are clearly focused on doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and expand your knowledge of your condition. I am certain that your commitment will enable you (with the assistance of your health care providers) to slow the progression of this horrid disease while more effective treatments are found.

Thank you for the link, Colleen, to the Mayo article re: heart disease and cancer from 2014. Also, I appreciate your willingness to possibly share my comments w/ Mayo experts especially in regard to Coronary Calcium Scan for early detection of heart disease of us cancer patients who are at high risk due to radiation treatment. I am becoming more aware now of Mayo's expertise in acknowledging and treating RIHD. We'll see how things go with the treatment I'm getting now in my area. If I need better options/procedures in the future, I'll seriously consider coming to Mayo.

Hi Marti,
You are so fortunate to be so close to Mayo! Our drive is about 7 hours, so even to go for a one day consultation is a major effort. However, Cleveland Clinic is even further away, so tempting as it is to check in there for a consultation because of their Radiation Heart Disease Clinic, that'll need to be a pass for us. There comes a time when you just need to put your faith in the skill of your doc/surgeon to handle whatever is encountered. My surgery at Mayo is a little over a month away, so I'm leaning into that and tamping down my tendency to keep wanting to investigate other options. I've got to get busy putting plans in place for family/friends to visit while I'm hospitalized and/or recovering there in Rochester. Temporary (affordable) housing is not easy to come by in that area - I guess because it is in such demand.

You always share such interesting/intriguing things 🙂 I'd never heard of Vitamin K2 until you mentioned it. I checked it out, but seems to be something I have to skip due to the blood thinners I'm on and likely to remain on indefinitely following valve replacement surgery.

It seems I've managed to acquire pretty much all the heart structural problems possible from radiation. Still, I have to keep in mind that I could be much worse off. The biggest challenge is to keep positive and focused on the good things in life. I could easily dissolve into feeling sorry for myself and retreating into a hermit-like existence. I fight everyday to keep as active as I can, and to communicate with family and friends about topics that are life affirming and uplifting. At the same time, I'm sounding the alarm to those I know who've had radiation to the chest for breast or other cancers. At the very least, they should consider having the CCS!

You are clearly focused on doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and expand your knowledge of your condition. I am certain that your commitment will enable you (with the assistance of your health care providers) to slow the progression of this horrid disease while more effective treatments are found.

Thank you colleen and inali for answering my question....... I had a thorough heart check up when I went to mayo the first time and they found the lung cancer. I've been trying to stay upbeat about all this but it is slowly dragging me down..... Have my ct scan in april and am concerned about that....... my copd is getting worse and now I am learning about the heart problems with radiation. whats going to be next. I know a lot of you are worse off than I......... how do you do it, how do you keep a positive attitude. I try to keep busy. but its getting hard.

Thank you so very much, Inali, for answering my questions so clearly. I am still learning and was feeling overwhelmed the past couple of days. I didn't even know that "bypass" and CABG (graft) were about the same thing. I am so so sad to hear of the diagnosis of congestive heart failure. I now understand even more why you feel exactly as you do.

I am on atorvastatin (Lipitor) now as well as vitamin K2 and CoQ10. Supposedly, K2 helps the body process calcium so that it goes more into the teeth and bones instead of kidney stones (which I had) and calcium in coronary arteries--as found in the CCS test. Many people are deficient in K2 and I think I am too.

I do know that my downing of the calcium units my Dr. prescribed for my osteopenia was a bad thing also. Articles came out a little after my kidney stone problems began in 2012 that stated that many menopausal women are now getting kidney stones most likely from the calcium carbonate pills they're taking. I take algae calcium now 1-2 times a week only and try to get the rest of calcium from spinach and organic milk along w/ vitamin D3 and magnesium pills on occasion.

I've felt a heaviness in my heart area off and on for a year. Had some shortness of breath 3 years ago but that went away with more regular exercise and some weight loss. Have minor chest ache when turning a certain way suddenly, like to grab something on my left off an end table, for example.

Will just keep monitoring how I'm doing on these pills I'm taking for now until seeing regular Dr. in May.

Your information and suggestions are invaluable to me and I again am so sad about the resistance to recognizing RIHD by so many in the medical field until just very recently. i will be extremely reluctant to get the stents, even the newer medication-laced ones. It sounds like some hospitals might do CABG for those of us with RIHD now when our arteries are very clogged and heart attack seems very likely.
That seems the best route to me at this time after all you wrote.

I would probably choose going to Mayo, like you. I read the articles from the Cleveland Clinic, as you know. But, know, as you said that one of the Drs. resistant to CCS is still on staff there as you said AND it's a long way from our house. We do live about 100 miles from Mayo and it seems like they are fully "on board" w/ CCS, RIHD, and the most up to date procedures, if any, that can help us.

Again, thank you so much for your wisdom and willingness to share it. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I admire your strength and honesty. Marti

Hi @inali @martijwis and @sakota, I'm just catching up with this discussion now.

Marti, you're right that heart disease related to cancer treatments should be discussed with cancer patients. Mayo cardiologists published this paper on the topic back in 2014
- Evaluation and Management of Patients With Heart Disease and Cancer: Cardio-Oncology https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(14)00475-3/pdf

Thank you for your permission to share your comments with Mayo experts.

Joan, I agree with Inali. Please raise the topic of cancer treatment and its affects on your heart, especially if you already had heart disease before cancer. Before my father had cancer treatments, they conducted specific heart tests to better understand the condition of his heart, the possible impact of treatment and how to effectively avoid potential issues. His heart was monitored during treatment too. Did you have tests done before treatment that you're aware of?