Feb. 11 Talk Addresses Heart Issues for Cancer Patients

Thirty to 50 percent of cancer patients who have had chemotherapy will experience some form of heart failure, said Dr. Jean-Bernard Durand, cardiologist at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The good news is that heart failure is reversible, Dr. Durand said.

"As the mortality rate from cancer decreases, the incidence of heart failure increases, in part from therapies that weaken the heart muscles," Dr. Durand said. "But we’re trying to get the word out that we can actively treat patients – even during their cancer therapy – to improve heart function, and ultimately, improve their quality of life."

Dr. Durand will speak Feb. 11 at a 6 p.m. meeting of Heart to Heart, an educational support group that meets monthly at M.D. Anderson. Heart to Heart is a forum designed to offer cancer patients with heart failure an opportunity to learn about their condition, speak openly about symptoms, and gain encouragement from other patients who have recovered and resumed their normal day-to-day activities.

For additional information about Heart to Heart or upcoming clinical trials for heart failure, call M.D. Anderson’s cardiology department at (713) 792-3004.

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