News: Cancer survivors have higher risk of dying of heart disease

WOnder what chemo the young woman in the second article was on--I had quite a few side effects from Avastin related to the Cardiovasvular system, Ectopic beats, very high blood pressure. I read that Avastin was pulled by the FDA for breast CA patients (but still used for CRC???) My oncologist said there was no study that showed it improved longevity by more than a month so I did not take the oral Avastin another Oncologist recommended. 

Read both articles.  I am currently dealing with two heart/vascular issues.  I was diagnosed with a dilated aortic root last year.  It was caught on one of my routine CT scans.  It was verified via echocardiogram.  It's interesting since then the radiologists reading my CT scans haven't mentioned it again.  The second is high blood pressure which developed a few months after discovering the dilated aortic root and while I was already under the care of a cardiologist.  My doc knows I've been through chemo but hasn't said anything about if the aortic dilation is due to chemo.  He was more alarmed that at my age and physical fitness that I developed this condition...leading him to think I may have a genetic predisposition to this.

It's interesting going into the practice for my exams.  Everyone is staring at me as if why the heck I'm in there as I have a very athletic build.  My doc even told me it pains him to tell me to stop weight training but that is what they're telling me.  They're fearful that with the dilation of the aorta that the exertion I do while lifting might cause an aortic aneurysm and I instantly drop dead in the gym.  His recommendation was for me to keep the max weight I work out at 30lbs.  I laughed at this recommendation.  I would get bored to death before getting any benefit from doing the reps with 30lbs to cause any burn in my muscles.  I have adjusted my workouts where I don't hold my breath when pushing the last rep or going real heavy.  So far this seems to be working as the last echo I had showed no change in the arortic dilation.  The other doctor I'm seeing in the practice focusing on the vascular issue has been more hard nosed about my insistance on working out.  She hasn't seen me in a bit and will probably have a "heart attack" when she sees I've packed on about another 10lbs of muscle and pushed the max weight of my exercises up....benching 245lbs now.

So as far as the articles are concerned, I don't fit their narrative.  Could it still be from chemo?  It's a possibility.  But I have been under a ton of stress with the divorce, having to fiind a new job (twice), and child visitation issues.  And my heart/vascular problems pretty much lined up with when all of the aforementioned started.

I have be NED ever since 2010!  Last yearI was diagnosed with an a-fib heart!  Even at that,I think it will be my lungs that get me.  But I am already 87, so cannot complain I didn't live long enough. LOL