Cardiotoxicity associated with radiotherapy in breast cancer: A question-based review with current literatures. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Qian; Kirova, Youlia M.; Cao, Lu; Arsene-Henry, Alexandre; Chen, Jiayi
• Is Part Of: Cancer treatment reviews. Volume 68(2018)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 15
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Radiotherapy -- Breast cancer -- Cardiotoxicity -- Cardiac events -- Mean heart dose; Cancer -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- therapy -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Périodiques; Cancer -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Cancer -- Treatment; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.99406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.03.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-7372

Abstract

Highlights: Whether a threshold dose could be defined at which optimal therapeutic effects are achieved with minimum toxicity is critical. Minimizing risk of radiation -induced cardiovascular disease should begin with pre-treatment assessment of patients' individualized risk. Balancing dose constraints between high dose region of cardiac substructures and mean heart dose is still the most direct and best strategy to reduce radiation-induced cardiac injury. Abstract: Radiotherapy is an indispensable unit of multidisciplinary treatment of breast cancer. Although the application of modern techniques has led to a significantly reduction in radiation-induced heart disease, it is still recognized as the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among breast cancer survivors. With the growing number of long-term survivors, it is important to understand the cardiovascular risks associated with radiotherapy. Questions exist regarding the existence or not of a safe radiation threshold dose that the heart (or its substructures) can receive and strategies to minimize risk of radiation. This paper aims to review the current understanding of radiation-induced cardiotoxicity and try to give answers to those unsettled issues based on current literatures.