Fatal cardiotoxicity often the cost of beating pediatric cancer

Submitted by Ross Bonander Wed 02/10/2010

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"It appears that for some of these survivors we have substituted one fatal disease of childhood -- cancer -- for another fatal disease of early adult life." -- Steven E. Lipshultz, MD

That almost says it all.

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates that the risk of childhood cancer survivors dying from cardiovascular causes later in life goes up with the dose of radiation received by the patient's heart during treatment. In fact they have a 60% higher risk than the general population.

The research not only looked at cardiovascular mortality from the radiation but also from chemotherapy received.

Added Dr. Lipshultz, "These are the exact concerns we've had based on careful subclinical assessments of how the heart in these survivors has been working."

By Ross Bonander

You can read a more detailed summary of these findings at MedPageToday.

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