Cardiac toxicity of thoracic radiotherapy: existing evidence and future directions

Abstract

The impact of radiotherapy on the heart has become an area of interest in recent years. Many different cardiac dose volume constraints have been associated with cardiac toxicity and survival however, no consistent constraint has been found. Many patients undergoing treatment for lung cancer have risk factors for cardiovascular disease or known cardiac comorbidities however, there is little evidence on the effects of radiotherapy on the heart in these patients. We aim to provide a summary of the existing literature on cardiac toxicity of lung cancer radiotherapy, propose strategies to avoid and manage cardiac toxicity and suggest avenues for future research.