Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are exploring a groundbreaking application of radiation therapy, traditionally used in cancer treatment, for managing severe heart conditions.
Their latest findings, published in the journal Med, show that low-dose radiation therapy could potentially enhance heart function in various types of heart failure.
Surprising Benefits for Heart Function
The research team, led by cardiologist Ali Javaheri, MD, Ph.D., initially focused on the effects of radiation therapy on patients with ventricular tachycardia, a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder. They noticed that parts of the heart exposed to low-dose radiation during treatment showed signs of improved function.
In a group of nine patients treated for ventricular tachycardia, cardiac MRIs revealed enhanced pumping efficiency of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, shortly after radiation therapy.
Experiments with mice models of heart failure from various causes also demonstrated improved heart function and survival rates post-radiation therapy.
Understanding Radiation’s Impact on the Heart
The irradiated hearts in mouse models showed decreased fibrosis (scar tissue) and a reduction in cardiac macrophages, immune cells that can exacerbate heart inflammation.
Radiation seems to target rapidly dividing cells, like immune cells and fibroblasts, which are often implicated in worsening heart failure. This suggests that radiation might remodel the heart beneficially by reducing these cell populations.
Future Research Directions
The research team plans to continue studying patients undergoing radiation therapy for ventricular tachycardia. They aim to:
Conduct advanced studies to confirm whether the reduced inflammation observed in mice also occurs in human hearts post-radiation therapy.
Investigate the broader effects of radiation on the heart, beyond the simple reduction of rapidly dividing inflammatory cells.
Implications for Heart Failure Treatment
This research opens up the possibility of using radiation therapy as a novel approach to treat various forms of heart failure, offering hope for improved outcomes.
With over 6.2 million American adults living with heart failure, these findings could signify a significant advancement in heart failure management. However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits in patients and to fully understand the mechanisms at play.
The potential of radiation therapy to remodel the heart and reduce inflammation could mark a significant shift in how we approach heart failure treatment.
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The research findings can be found in Med.
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