Cardio-oncology & otherCohort study

Cardiac Effects of Modern Breast Radiation Therapy in Patients Receiving Systemic Cancer Therapy

JACC CardioOncolPublished

  • Prospective cohort study
  • longitudinal
  • core lab echocardiography

Authors' conclusion

Over a median of 5.1 years, modest changes in cardiac function were observed with RT. Maximum LAD dose was associated with a worsening in systolic and diastolic function parameters.

Study context

Population
Women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) (2010–2019)median follow-up 5.1 years
Participants
303 women
Outcome
Change in echocardiographic measures of cardiac function (LVEF, longitudinal and circumferential strain, E/e', Ea/Es, RV fractional area change) and association with cardiac dose metrics

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

5 years

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), pre-RT to 5 years (modest increase)

52.1% to 54.3%; P < 0.001

Circumferential strain, pre-RT to 5 years (worsening)

−23.7% to −21.0%; P = 0.003

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Cardiac function, left-sided/bilateral breast cancer (subgroup)

Changes in cardiac function across all parameters
P < 0.05

Original publication

Cardiac Effects of Modern Breast Radiation Therapy in Patients Receiving Systemic Cancer Therapy. JACC CardioOncol. Published 4 March 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jaccao.2025.01.012

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it