Researchers have published findings from a British Heart Foundation-funded trial examining whether breast cancer survivors can safely stop taking heart medication after their cardiac function has recovered from cancer treatment side effects.
The study involved 90 women in their 40s and 50s treated at four UK hospitals. These patients had experienced heart function decline as a consequence of receiving HER2-positive breast cancer treatment, a type of therapy that affects approximately 10% of such patients. Traditionally, survivors in this situation have been advised to continue heart medications indefinitely as a precautionary measure.
Researchers found that when participants discontinued their heart medications, 98% maintained stable heart function over one year of follow-up, with only one woman developing a problem with her heart’s pumping ability. Participants who stopped taking the medications also reported improved quality of life in questionnaires, citing reduced side effects and decreased medication-related anxiety. The trial results are published in the Heart Journal, with the research led by Prof Charlotte Manisty of University College London and Barts Heart Centre.
One trial participant, Lucy Shepherd, a breast cancer survivor from Hertfordshire, described the experience of discontinuing her heart medication as life-changing. She noted that while continuing hormone therapy, she no longer experiences the same level of fear and has regained confidence in her body’s health.
Researchers emphasize that the findings provide the first evidence supporting safe discontinuation of heart failure therapies in patients whose cardiac function has recovered, provided ongoing close monitoring continues. Study participants will be followed for five years to track long-term outcomes. Medical professionals involved in the research suggest these results can facilitate informed conversations between survivors and their doctors regarding the necessity of lifelong medication, potentially offering improved quality of life for thousands of affected patients.
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