Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
Cancer and Postradiotherapy Cardiotoxicity: How to Face Damage in Women's Hearts?
Amalia Peix1, Aylen Perez2, Ana Maria Barreda3
1Nuclear Medicine Department, Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Havana, Cuba.
Abstract:
Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the two main causes of death worldwide in both men and women. In the past decades, survival rate in cancer patients has substantially improved due to new treatments and developments in radiation therapy (RT). In women, breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death and thoracic RT is a main component of the treatment in many cases. Nevertheless, despite new techniques that limit the area receiving RT, cardiac damage is still an important concern in BC patients. In this review, the following aspects will be addressed: pathophysiology of postradiotherapy heart damage in women with BC; mechanisms, diagnosis and prevention/management of heart damage; and future areas of potential research for radiotherapy injury in women.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Cardiomyopathy VI: Nursing Management
Pericarditis IV: Nursing Management
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

