AHA Provides Overview of CV Risk Associated with Hormone Therapies Used in Breast, Prostate Cancer Treatment

The American Heart Association has released a scientific statement calling for an increased emphasis on close monitoring for cardiovascular risk among patients receiving treatment for prostate or breast cancer that includes hormones.

With no formal guidance related to management of hormone therapy-related cardiovascular risks, the writing committee is hopeful the statement can provide perspective on the issue and, possibly, reduce the risk of cardiovascular death among these patients.

“The statement provides data on the risks of each type of hormonal therapy so clinicians can use it as a guide to help manage cardiovascular risks during cancer treatment,” said Tochi Okwuosa, DO, chair of the scientific statement writing group, an associate professor of medicine and cardiology and director of Cardio-Oncology Services at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, in a statement. “A team-based approach to patient care that includes the oncology team, cardiologist, primary care clinician, dietician, endocrinologist, and other health care professionals as appropriate is needed to work with each patient to manage and reduce the increased risk of heart disease and strokes associated with hormonal therapy in breast and prostate cancer treatment.”

An 18-page document citing nearly 90 sources, Okwuosa and members of the writing committee sought to outline risk of cardiovascular disease associated with use of hormonal cancer therapies, which has recently begun to gain more attention as a leading cause of death among these patients. Pooling data from observational studies, randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses, investigators created multiple tables and graphs to describe the risks associated with different therapies and recommendations for risk assessment and management.

This statement, “Impact of Hormonal Therapies for Treatment of Hormone-Dependent Cancers (Breast and Prostate) on the Cardiovascular System: Effects and Modifications: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association,” was published in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.