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Mita's avatar
Mita
Member
12 years ago

Radiation therapy and effects on the heart

I've been told I'll need radiation therapy following a lumpectomy on my left breast (no lymph node involvement).    As I've only recently had an aortic valve replacement in my heart,  I started to wonder if the radiation could affect it badly because the heart is under the left breast.  

I've been distressed to find there's  a lot of rigorous research about how heart arteries and valves can be damaged by the radiation.   I even found a case study where a woman's artificial heart valve was so badly affected by radiation that it had to be removed and replaced.

It seems there's no 'safe' level of radiation to totally prevent the heart being affected.  To be honest, I'm a bit stunned that none of the medical people treating me for the breast cancer, has mentioned this connection.  If I'd know it earlier, I would have asked if a mastectomy might have spared me all or at least some of the neeed for radiotherapy.

  It's such an important issue that some US cancer centers have a section which combines cardiac-oncology.  But I can't find anything here in Australia.

 Has anyone else encountered a problem of how their heart might be affected?

3 Replies

  • Mita's avatar
    Mita
    Member
    12 years ago

    Thanks, Tonya.  You've given me some great practical advice on my concerns. I've already had the lumpectomy (2 weeks ago next Tuesday) ... and was prepared if the surgeon had advised a mastectomy.

     But that was before I'd found out anything about the heart risk, especially given I have a tissue artificial heart valve.  Boy,  had I known,  I would've strongly put a case for a mastectomy... if it either avoided the need for radiation or required less.

     Losing a breast (& I'm only small breasted) is nothing compared with risk of a vital organ like my heart.  I see the oncologist next Friday... & have also been referred to a radiation 'doctor'.   So I'll sure talk with them about it.

    The research  said that there's a couple of heart-sparing radiation techniques that they use in the US cancer centres.  One is  deep breathing where the heart is pushed out of the radiation path.  But it has to be carefully set up & measured.  The other has the woman lying on her stomach...& only her breast pokes thro' a hole in a special table.  So only that breast is exposed to the radiation.   Maybe that'd protect the lungs, too???  

    I'd wonder why either of these are just not standard techniques for left breast radiation????   All women have hearts and lungs.    

  • Mita's avatar
    Mita
    Member
    12 years ago

    Thanks, Tonya.  You've given me some great practical advice on my concerns. I've already had the lumpectomy (2 weeks ago next Tuesday) ... and was prepared if the surgeon had advised a mastectomy.

     But that was before I'd found out anything about the heart risk, especially given I have a tissue artificial heart valve.  Boy,  had I known,  I would've strongly put a case for a mastectomy... if it either avoided the need for radiation or required less.

     Losing a breast (& I'm only small breasted) is nothing compared with risk of a vital organ like my heart.  I see the oncologist next Friday... & have also been referred to a radiation 'doctor'.   So I'll sure talk with them about it.

    The research  said that there's a couple of heart-sparing radiation techniques that they use in the US cancer centres.  One is  deep breathing where the heart is pushed out of the radiation path.  But it has to be carefully set up & measured.  The other has the woman lying on her stomach...& only her breast pokes thro' a hole in a special table.  So only that breast is exposed to the radiation.   Maybe that'd protect the lungs, too???  

    I'd wonder why either of these are just not standard techniques for left breast radiation????   All women have hearts and lungs.    

  • TonyaM's avatar
    TonyaM
    Member
    12 years ago
    I can understand your concerns.I think all the bc treatments come with certain risks.I had a lumpectomy and radiation on my left breast back in 2003.My heart is fine but I did sustain abit of scarring in my lung( doesn't bother me).After 7 years,the cancer came back in the same spot so had to have a mastectomy anyway.There is a possibility that this can happen(8%?).perhaps you need to have a chat with the radiation oncologist.Have you already had the lumpectomy?You could always go back and have a mastectomy if you are still in doubt about radiation.Sending hugs,Tonya xx