BioScience Trends. 2021;15(4):211-218. (DOI: 10.5582/bst.2021.01278)

New progress in elucidating the relationship between cancer therapy and cardiovascular toxicity

Wu C, Lin DW, Ma F, Jiang F, Wang YS

Onco-cardiology is an emerging field linking cancer with cardiovascular injury. Understanding the mechanism of cardiac injury helps improve the quality of life of cancer survivors. A series of studies on adverse reactions to cancer or oncological treatments has indicated that adverse cardiovascular events related to cancer treatments may occur over a longer period of survival, and even years after therapy has concluded. Current cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, have been found to have latent cardiovascular toxicity. These toxic effects are often progressive and irreversible and ultimately lead to cardiovascular events such as heart failure, hypertension, coronary heart diseases, arrhythmia, and thromboembolism. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on revealing the mechanism of cancer treatment-related cardiovascular toxicity. This would help to guide prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CVDs in cancer survivors.

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