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THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For women with breast cancer, coronary artery calcium (CAC) detected on radiotherapy (RT)-planning computed tomography (CT) scan is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, according to a study presented at the annual European Breast Cancer Conference, held virtually from Oct. 2 to 3.<\/p>\n
Roxanne Gal, from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and colleagues examined the association between automated CAC measurement on RT-planning CT scans and the risk for CVD in a cohort of breast cancer patients receiving RT between 2005 and 2016. Data were included from 14,002 patients (mean age, 58 years).<\/p>\n
The researchers found that 29 percent of the patients had a CAC score >0. Overall, 8 percent of patients were admitted for CVD and 1 percent died from CVD at a median follow-up of 52 months. The risk for CVD increased with higher CAC after adjustment for age and calendar year at planning CT, from 5 percent for patients without CAC to 28 percent for patients with a CAC score >400. Patients treated with anthracyclines had the strongest association between a high CAC score and CVD (hazard ratioCAC >400<\/sub> = 5.4).<\/p>\n “In my opinion, treating breast cancer means finding the right balance between maximizing chances of tackling the tumor, while minimizing the risks of side effects, including the risk of cardiovascular disease,” a coauthor said in a statement.<\/p>\n Press Release<\/a><\/p>\n