Is there an effect on the heart after cancer treatment? Let's talk about 'Radiation Heart Disease'

Have you or someone you know had radiation therapy to the chest for cancer? If so, this story will be very important to you. Although cancer treatment is essential, sometimes the treatment can also have an impact on our heart. Don't worry, this is not something that happens to everyone, and with the advanced technology available today, this risk has decreased a lot. However, it is very important to be aware of this. Let's talk about everything in simple terms.

What is Radiation Heart Disease?

Simply put, when high-energy rays (radiation) used to destroy cancer cells are given to the chest area, the nearby heart may also be damaged. The various heart conditions that result from this damage to the heart are commonly referred to as radiation heart disease .

The special thing about this is that sometimes these heart disease symptoms can appear within a few weeks of treatment. However, for others, these problems can go on for years, perhaps even 10 or 20 years, without any symptoms.

This risk is generally highest in people who receive radiation treatment to the chest for the following types of cancer:

• Breast cancer (especially in the left breast)
• Lung cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Cancers of the lymph nodes, such as Hodgkin lymphoma

How does this radiation treatment affect the heart?

Imagine, a powerful beam of radiation that destroys cancer cells also hits the delicate tissue of the heart, which is located nearby. This can lead to two main things.

1. Short-term effects: Inflammation of the heart tissue may occur during or shortly after treatment. This means that parts of the heart become swollen.

2. Long-term effects: Over time, the heart tissue damaged by radiation gradually becomes thickened, fibrous, and loses its elasticity . Much like a wound turns into a scar. When this happens, the tissue can no longer do its job properly.

There are several major parts of the heart that can be damaged in this way. Let's take a look at what they are.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

Symptoms can vary depending on when they appear and the part of the heart that is affected. Let's break these down into two categories.

Short-term symptoms

These usually occur weeks or months after treatment. The main conditions are pericarditis and pericardial effusion .

The main symptom of both conditions is severe chest pain . There are several specific characteristics of this pain:

• The pain decreases when I sit and lean forward .
• The pain increases when you breathe deeply .
• Some people may also experience shortness of breath (dyspnea) that decreases when they bend forward .

Long-term symptoms

These are the ones that often appear years later. There may be no symptoms at first, but symptoms appear only after the disease has progressed a bit. Although the symptoms vary depending on the type of heart disease, these are the most common symptoms:

• Chest pain or discomfort: It may feel like a squeezing or squeezing sensation.
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea): Difficulty breathing even when doing light work or walking. This difficulty can sometimes occur even at night while sleeping.
• Swelling of the legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen (Edema): A feeling of fluid filling the body.
• Palpitations: The heart beats very fast or irregularly .
• Dizziness or fainting (syncope) .
• Frequent feeling of extreme fatigue and weakness .
• Dry cough .
• Nausea .

Who is most at risk?

Not everyone who has had radiation therapy to the chest will develop this condition, but certain factors may increase the risk.

Has this risk decreased with modern technology?

Yes, absolutely. This is the best news. Since doctors and scientists learned about this risk, they have developed advanced techniques that can minimize the amount of radiation that reaches the heart. As a result, people who receive radiation therapy today have a much lower risk of developing this heart disease.

Here are some such advanced methods:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): This is a method that uses a three-dimensional (3D) map of the exact shape of the tumor and delivers radiation only to it. This results in minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue, especially the heart.
• Proton therapy: This is also a highly advanced, targeted treatment method.
• Breathing control methods: Especially when treating breast cancer, the patient is asked to take a deep breath and hold it while the radiation is administered. This allows the lungs to expand and the heart to be slightly further away from the cancer, reducing the amount of radiation that reaches the heart.

How can I reduce my risk?

If you've had radiation treatment to your chest, the best thing you can do is adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle . This can help reduce your overall risk of heart disease.

• If you smoke, quit today. This is the most important decision you can make.
• Eat a healthy diet. Eat more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Reduce oil, salt, and sugar.
• Exercise regularly. Even something as simple as walking for 30 minutes a day can make a big difference.
• Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Talk to your doctor and get them checked regularly. Take medication if necessary.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• If you have diabetes, control it well.
• Control your body weight.

When should you see a doctor?

If you have had radiation therapy to your chest and develop any of the heart symptoms listed above (such as chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling in your legs, or irregular heartbeat), see your doctor right away. The earlier the disease is detected, the easier it is to treat.

If you experience symptoms of a heart attack, don't stay home. Go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately.

Radiation Heart Disease, Cancer Treatment, Radiation Therapy, Heart Disease, Chest Pain, Difficulty Breathing