Cardiac risk in the treatment of breast cancer: assessment and management

As the number of long-term breast cancer survivors has increased, the side effects of adjuvant cancer therapy, such as cardiac toxicity, remain clinically important. Although the cardiac toxicity due to anthracyclines, radiotherapy, or trastuzumab is well-documented, several issues need to be clarified and are the subjects of extensive ongoing clinical research. This review summarizes the incidence of cardiac toxicity due to breast cancer adjuvant therapy and highlights the current trends in early detection and management of cardiac toxicities.