Cardiovascular disease and lung cancer

Cardiovascular disease and lung cancer

12 February 2024 | Mikhail de Jesus, Anindita Chanda, Titas Grabauskas, Manish Kumar, Agnes S. Kim
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. While advancements in cancer therapeutics have improved survival rates, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant health challenge for lung cancer patients. CVD shares many risk factors with lung cancer, including smoking, hypertension, diabetes, advanced age, and obesity. This review highlights the complex interrelationship between CVD and lung cancer, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary collaboration among oncologists, cardiologists, primary care physicians, and other providers. The article discusses the cardiotoxic effects of various lung cancer treatments, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), targeted therapies, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. ICIs, for example, can cause myocarditis, pericarditis, arrhythmias, heart failure, MI, ischemic stroke, venous thromboembolism, and dyslipidemia. Targeted therapies like EGFR inhibitors can increase the risk of QT prolongation, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Radiotherapy can lead to coronary artery disease, conduction system abnormalities, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. The management of CVD in lung cancer patients is crucial. Pre-existing CVD should be optimally managed before starting cancer treatment, and smoking cessation is recommended. Hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia should be controlled prior to, during, and after cancer treatment. Regular screening and surveillance are essential, including baseline CV risk assessments, physical examinations, BP measurements, ECGs, lipid panels, and hemoglobin A1c tests. For patients receiving ICIs, outpatient monitoring of myocarditis is recommended, and prompt workup is necessary if clinical suspicion is high. In conclusion, the coexistence of CVD and lung cancer is common due to overlapping risk factors. Understanding and managing these cardiotoxicities are critical for improving overall survival in lung cancer patients. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to minimize CV toxicity while allowing cancer treatment to proceed without interruption.Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. While advancements in cancer therapeutics have improved survival rates, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant health challenge for lung cancer patients. CVD shares many risk factors with lung cancer, including smoking, hypertension, diabetes, advanced age, and obesity. This review highlights the complex interrelationship between CVD and lung cancer, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary collaboration among oncologists, cardiologists, primary care physicians, and other providers. The article discusses the cardiotoxic effects of various lung cancer treatments, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), targeted therapies, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. ICIs, for example, can cause myocarditis, pericarditis, arrhythmias, heart failure, MI, ischemic stroke, venous thromboembolism, and dyslipidemia. Targeted therapies like EGFR inhibitors can increase the risk of QT prolongation, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Radiotherapy can lead to coronary artery disease, conduction system abnormalities, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. The management of CVD in lung cancer patients is crucial. Pre-existing CVD should be optimally managed before starting cancer treatment, and smoking cessation is recommended. Hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia should be controlled prior to, during, and after cancer treatment. Regular screening and surveillance are essential, including baseline CV risk assessments, physical examinations, BP measurements, ECGs, lipid panels, and hemoglobin A1c tests. For patients receiving ICIs, outpatient monitoring of myocarditis is recommended, and prompt workup is necessary if clinical suspicion is high. In conclusion, the coexistence of CVD and lung cancer is common due to overlapping risk factors. Understanding and managing these cardiotoxicities are critical for improving overall survival in lung cancer patients. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to minimize CV toxicity while allowing cancer treatment to proceed without interruption.
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