How do cancer treatments contribute to cardiac issues?
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies can have cardiotoxic effects. For instance, anthracyclines, a class of chemotherapy drugs, are known to cause cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Similarly, radiation therapy to the chest can lead to radiation-induced heart disease, including pericarditis, coronary artery disease, and myocardial fibrosis. Targeted therapies like HER2 inhibitors can also cause cardiac dysfunction.
