Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the top causes of death in Canadian women. Women who have had a breast cancer diagnosis are more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than women who have not had cancer. This is likely due, in part, to the damaging effects of treatment for breast cancer on the heart. Anthracycline chemotherapy is very effective for treating breast and other cancer types, but is also well known to cause heart damage. In non-cancer related heart disease, the vessels and muscles are well known to play an integral role in the disease process. However, in cancer treatment-related heart damage, little is known about the extent of damage and the role of the vessels and muscle. Both exercise and nutrition have been shown to have benefits for a number of health outcomes for women who have been treated for breast cancer, but little is known about the effects on the heart, vessels or muscles. The goals of this research are to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately determine: 1) the effects of anthracycline treatment for breast cancer on the heart, vessels, and muscles; 2) the protective effect of a lifestyle intervention, involving exercise and reduced calorie intake, on the heart, vessels, and muscles; and 3) how potential damage to the vessels and muscles relate to heart damage and protection. We expect that anthracycline treatment will have a damaging effect on vessel and muscle function, and this will be related to the heart damage. We also expect that exercise and reduced calorie intake will reduce the damage that occurs to all three systems. This research will make use of the best non-invasive imaging technology available to provide insight into the damage caused by an effective and widely used anti-cancer treatment. This research will also provide insight into the potential use of exercise and nutrition, cheap and accessible treatments that can counteract these damaging effects to improve the health of women treated for breast cancer.