Themotherapy and radiation can kill cancer cells, but these potentially lifesaving treatments can be toxic to the heart. As a result, some people beat cancer only to develop heart failure. Later this year, the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) plans to release guidelines for the early detection and treatment of chemotherapy- and radiation therapy-related cardiac toxicity to encourage collaboration between oncologists and cardiologists. The guidelines recommend cardiac tests for patients undergoing chemotherapy with known cardiotoxic agents, discuss the cardiac problems linked to radiation treatment, and suggest which cardiac tests are useful for patients who underwent previous radiation to the chest and now need chemotherapy.
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