Study reveals link between cancer medications and heart disease
As per the study, some cancer treatments can harm the heart, a condition known as cardiotoxicity. Cancer medicines can affect the heart’s pumping ability and sometimes can lead to heart failure.
A study published in the journal Science Advances has identified proteins in the blood that are linked to an increased risk of developing heart diseases that are affected by cancer treatment drugs.
The researchers pinpointed 33 proteins that are present in the blood and associated with the risk of developing several heart diseases. These included different types of heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (a common abnormal heart rhythm which increases the risk of stroke).
According to the lead author of the study Dr Floriaan Schmidt (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science), “The proteins identified in our study will help to accelerate future drug development, offering scientists a blueprint for new treatments for both cancer and heart diseases. This can help them to be more confident of the effects of the drugs that they design – whether that’s shrinking tumours without causing damage elsewhere”.
According to Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, the progress in cancer treatment has inadvertently led to a potential risk of heart damage associated with these medications.