Dr. Greenlee on Mitigating the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Breast Cancer

Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, MPH, associate professor, Cancer Prevention Program, Public Health Sciences Division, associate professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, medical director, Integrative Medicine Program, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, associate professor of medical oncology, University of Washington, School of Medicine, adjunct associate professor of clinical epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, provides strategies to mitigate the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women with breast cancer.

According to Greenlee, women with breast cancer have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular-related disease as many breast cancer medications are cardiotoxic.

As such, it is important for women to understand their risk and how to best monitor potential cardiovascular complications through conversations with their oncologist and primary care physician, Greenlee says.

Additionally, women who are taking cardiovascular medications should continue to do so, explains Greenlee.

Moreover, women should have access to cardiologists and cardio-oncologists as part of their routine medical care, concludes Greenlee.