Pathogenesis and Prevention of Radiation-induced Myocardial Fibrosis

Abstract

<br /> <span style="font-size: small;">Radiation therapy is one of the most important methods for the treatment of malignant tumors. However, in radiotherapy for thoracic tumors such as breast cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and mediastinal lymphoma, the heart, located in the mediastinum, is inevitably affected by the irradiation, leading to pericardial disease, myocardial </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times New Roman; font-size: small;">fibrosis, coronary artery disease, valvular lesions, and cardiac conduction system injury, which are considered radiation-induced heart diseases. Delayed cardiac injury especially myocardial fibrosis is more prominent, and its incidence is as high as 20–80%. Myocardial fibrosis is the final stage of radiation-induced heart diseases, and it increases </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">the stiffness of the myocardium and decreases myocardial systolic and diastolic function, resulting in myocardial electrical physiological disorder, arrhythmia, incomplete heart function, or even sudden death. This article reviews the </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times New Roman; font-size: small;">pathogenesis and prevention of radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis for providing references for the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis. </span></span>