Study Shockingly Finds That Women Who Had Breast Cancer Treatments Face High Heart Risks for a Decade!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 05, 2025 3 hours, 26 minutes ago
Medical News: A Wake-Up Call for Millions of Women Worldwide
A groundbreaking new study led by researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center, in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Southern California and other major U.S. medical institutions, has revealed alarming evidence that women who survive breast cancer remain at elevated risk of serious heart complications for up to ten years after completing their treatment. The findings highlight that while modern cancer therapies save lives, they may also silently damage the heart, leading to long-term cardiac disease in thousands of survivors.
Study Shockingly Finds That Women Who Had Breast Cancer Treatments Face High Heart Risks for a Decade!
With survival rates for early-stage breast cancer now exceeding 90%, the focus of medical concern is shifting from defeating cancer to managing the hidden aftershocks of treatment. According to this
Medical News report, cardiovascular disease has quietly become one of the leading causes of death among breast cancer survivors, often surpassing cancer recurrence itself. Nearly one in five of the three million breast cancer survivors in the United States currently suffers from some form of heart disease, underscoring the urgent need for cardiac monitoring even years after recovery.
How the Research Was Conducted
The extensive study, titled “Risk Prediction for Development of Heart Failure or Cardiomyopathy After Breast Cancer Treatment,” was published in JAMA Oncology. It involved 26,044 women aged between 18 and 79 who were diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer between 2008 and 2020. Researchers followed these women for up to 14 years, with a median follow-up period of 5.2 years, to evaluate their long-term cardiac health.
The team analyzed detailed medical and demographic data, including age, race, preexisting heart conditions, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking habits, socioeconomic factors, and the specific cancer treatments received. Using these factors, the researchers identified patterns and determined which types of treatments were most likely to cause cardiac complications over time.
Disturbing Results Uncovered
The study’s results were striking. Women were divided into three categories—low, moderate, and high risk—based on their likelihood of developing heart failure or cardiomyopathy. After ten years, approximately 2% of women in the low-risk group developed heart disease, compared with 6% in the moderate group and an alarming 19% in the high-risk group. The clear separation between the groups proved that many survivors carry hidden cardiac risks that go unnoticed during standard post-treatment care.
Older women, especially those aged 65 to 79, were the most vulnerable. Among treatments, anthracycline-based chemotherapy carried the highest risk for heart damage, followed by ERBB2-targeted therapies such as trastuzumab (commonly used for HER2-positive breast cancer), and then non-anthracycline chemotherapies. Lifestyle and health fa
ctors—such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and prior heart disease—further magnified the risk. In contrast, hormone-based endocrine therapies showed no significant link to heart problems.
The Future of Cancer and Heart Care
Experts say this research is a vital breakthrough for the growing field of cardio-oncology, which focuses on protecting the heart while treating cancer. By identifying who is most at risk, doctors can now personalize patient follow-ups, schedule regular heart screenings, and introduce preventive strategies such as medication adjustments and lifestyle interventions before damage becomes irreversible.
The researchers stress that awareness is key—women who have undergone breast cancer treatment must remain vigilant about their heart health long after their final chemotherapy or radiation session. As more survivors live longer lives, integrating cardiac care into cancer recovery could significantly reduce long-term deaths and improve quality of life.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: JAMA Oncology.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2840215
An editorial on the research can be accessed here:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2840219
For the latest on Breast Cancer, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cardiology
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