Info
Cardiotoxicity
Side effects
What it means
Damage to heart function caused by certain oncology treatments, such as anthracyclines or trastuzumab. It is monitored periodically through echocardiography during and after treatment.
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- Trastuzumab (Herceptin)
- A targeted monoclonal antibody that blocks the HER2 protein, used in the treatment of HER2-positive cancers (mainly breast and gastric). It can rarely affect heart function, which is why it is monitored periodically.
- Alopecia (hair loss)
- A common side effect of chemotherapy, which also affects the hair on your scalp. Hair loss is usually temporary, and your hair grows back after treatment, sometimes with a slightly different texture or color.
- Anaemia
- A fall in the number of red blood cells or in haemoglobin, which leads to tiredness, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath. In cancer care, it can be caused by the disease itself or by treatments.
Other terms in “Side effects”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.