New Blood Test Detects Dangerous Heart Side Effect from Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatments have made significant progress, offering hope to millions of patients. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a major breakthrough, helping the immune system attack cancer cells.
However, ICIs can cause serious side effects, including a rare but dangerous condition known as ICI-related myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that can be fatal in up to 40% of cases.
This side effect occurs when the immune system becomes too aggressive and starts attacking healthy heart tissue, causing white blood cells and other immune cells to flood into the heart and cause damage.
Early diagnosis of this heart condition is critical, as prompt treatment can help prevent serious harm or death. Detecting ICI-related myocarditis has been a challenge, but a new blood test may offer a solution.
A new blood test can detect ICI-related myocarditis, a potentially fatal side effect of cancer treatment.
Author's summary: New blood test detects heart side effect from cancer treatment.