Pathophysiology of anthracycline- and radiation-associated cardiomyopathies: implications for screening and prevention.

Great progress has been made in treating childhood cancers over the past 40 years. Along with second malignancies, a major complication of anti-cancer therapies is adverse cardiovascular effects, especially cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease. The pathophysiology and characteristics of cardiomyopathy associated with radiation therapy and anthracycline therapy are distinctive. We describe each type of cardiomyopathy, along with its risk factors. These distinctive cardiomyopathies require different screening tests. Appropriate screening of the entire cardiovascular system should be performed because radiation and chemotherapy affect the entire system. Prevention recommendations focus on cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.