Can a very successful treatment for some cancers result in heart problems? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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A type of cancer drug known as an immune checkpoint inhibitor has produced dramatic improvements for some people with cancer. Now a new study shows they may also be linked to deaths from heart complications. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson describes the study.

Nelson: A total group of about 672 folks with cancer that had been treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. One point nine percent of them had died as a result of a cardiovascular event, acute coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke. Like other cancer treatments for which we’re concerned about increased cardiovascular risk before you get started you get a cardiovascular history. You get that and you’re aware of it; there isn’t at the moment a prescription of what you might do to avoid these things.  :31

Nelson says heart assessments both before and during treatment should be expected. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.