New Blood Test Detects Dangerous Heart Side Effect from Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatments have come a long way, offering hope to millions of patients. One major breakthrough is the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a type of therapy that helps the immune system attack cancer cells.
However, ICIs can also 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 begins attacking healthy heart tissue, with white blood cells and other immune cells flooding into the heart, causing damage.
Diagnosing this heart condition early is critical because prompt treatment can help prevent serious harm or death.
Author's summary: New blood test detects myocarditis from cancer treatment.