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ROCHESTER, Minn. — As cancer therapies improve and increasingly achieve cures or recurring periods of remission, preventing and managing damage to organs from cancer treatment has become a top concern. That includes injury to the heart, says Joerg Herrmann, M.D., a cardiologist and the founder and director of the Cardio-Oncology Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
As physicians and researchers work to prevent, diagnose and treat heart damage from cancer therapies, they also have learned about… read more
Answer Summary
Members shared personal experiences navigating decisions about radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer in their 70s and 80s, with... Read more
I’m also concerned about radiation as it affects heart and lungs. I’m also stage 1, grade 1 ductal invasive, no lymph nodes affected. I’m 77. Are you doing hormone therapy?
Good morning 🌅 Sue10. Sharing this information is great. Soon as I begin taking Anastrozole in 2023 I immediately found me a great cardiologist. Just had my check up in February this year. My heart is doing well. Mammogram, ultrasound okay. Still no side effects from Anastrozole and I have a bone density appointment in July. It's important to pay close attention to what affects your heart when chemo, radiation or any other types of treatments for cancer. The Mayo Clinic is one of the best in this country for information. Once again thank you so much. God bless 🙏🌹🥰✝️
Well I had radiation to my Left Breast for the second time! (Yes it is possible). I was told 22 years ago with my first breast cancer in the same left breast that I would never be able to have it again, that there was only one lifetime dose to a breadt. and that I would have to have a mastectomy if I ever got breast cancer in that breast. again. But lo and behold I qualified for it 22 years later yay 😊. so the first time was 2002, and the second time was 2025.. I finished treatments in February 2025. it was much different this time around, they have now implemented breathing techniques that makes your heart further away from the radiation during treatments. but I have fortunately never had any heart problems whatsoever from either of these sessions/treatments to my left breast. I am 65 years old and I have never smoked, always have been an exerciser for cardiac health, etc. They have come a long way with radiation treatments. I wouldn't be so terribly frightened from them. I got all the statistics at the time from my wonderful Radiation Oncologist, but I don't remember them now. I asked every question there was regarding my heart health and the fear of heart damage (as it's my Left Side) and she explained everything to me in re. 's to the radiation treatments and even showed me the images of my treatment plan, since I asked her. She was so happy to show me. I cannot offer any information in regards to the chemotherapy for your heart as I fortunately have never had to go through that.
@A MyBCTeam Member
I miss Barbara so much too.
I often come across old posts of hers which are so valuable, valid, and important for all of us.
On my 3rd breast cancer I had radiation and herceptin as it was TNC. While on herceptin I had to have periodic MUGA tests to make sure everything was all right with my heart. I had a mastectomy of the left breast, radiation, and herceptin. That was in 2021/2022. I chose not to have chemo...had a bad experience with it when I had colon cancer stage 3. I will soon be 88 and am sure I am closer to my end and don't what to feel terrible and die anyway. I am in remission, but I do get some skin cancers which I have taken care of right away.
I hope all you ladies get your mammograms yearly. I had 4 different cancers in my breast and they were all caught by the mammograms. The doctors never felt any lumps nor I. Get them early.
@A MyBCTeam Member thanks for the information. You are much like our friend who has passed on @A MyBCTeam Member...she kept us all informed. I still miss her. Again, thank you Sue10.
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