Cardiovascular effects of radiation therapy: A twenty-four year follow-up study

pp. 217-221

Abstract

Therapeutic mediastinal irradiation with or without associated chemotherapy can induce heart disease. Cardiac damage is progressive and irreversible and may become clinically evident after a long latency period. Recent treatment regimens may have reduced toxicity but decades of follow-up would be necessary for a more accurate evaluation.  Cardiac transplantation is a good option for patients with severe impairment of myocardial function. This is a clinical case presentation of a twenty eight years old woman who received therapeutic abdominal and mediastinal irradiation and chemotherapy twenty-four years before because of a nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumor) with paracardiac metastasis.