Uncovering the hidden heart risks after cancer treatment

Borja Ibáñez

Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.), Madrid, Spain

Thanks to advances in cancer treatment, more people are surviving cancer than ever before. But for many survivors, years after treatment, they face a higher risk of cardiovascular problems—especially those who received a common chemotherapy drug called anthracycline. While its short-term side effects in the heart are well known, the long-term damage it causes (silent for decades) has remained a mystery.

This project aims to uncover how anthracyclines leave a hidden “legacy” in the body that can lead to heart failure years later. Researchers believe this drug causes lasting changes in both the heart and bone marrow, which remain hidden until another stressor, like high blood pressure or aging, triggers them. Using advanced imaging, genetic analysis, and animal models, the team will explore how these changes unfold over time.

One key focus is the bone marrow, which produces immune cells that can influence cardiovascular health. They will study how anthracyclines may reprogram these cells in ways that increase long-term cardiovascular risk and will also investigate whether certain genetic mutations make some people more vulnerable to these effects.

By combining lab research with studies of cancer survivors, this project hopes to identify early warning signs and develop personalized strategies to prevent heart problems before they start. This could lead to better screening, new treatments, and improved quality of life for millions of survivors.

• Felipe Cortés, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

• Teresa López, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

Anthracycline Legacy in Bone Marrow and Long-Term Cardiovascular Risks in Cancer Survivors

€999.500,00