Researchers from New York City-based NYU Langone Health analyzed thousands of immune cells collected from 50 patients with atherosclerosis, a build-up of plaque in the walls of arteries, according to a Dec. 2 news release from the university.
Here are five notes about the study:
- Previous studies have shown that about 10% of patients with atherosclerosis have a heart attack or stroke following cancer treatment.
- Researchers found that the same type of immune checkpoints targeted by cancer therapies also appear in arterial immune cells.
- “Our findings provide new insight into how a drug intended to target tumors can also prompt a heightened immune response in arteries and increase risk of heart disease,” study co-author Chiara Giannarelli, MD, PhD, said in the release. “Cancer patients and their physicians should be aware that they may need to monitor for new heart concerns following cancer treatment.”
- While the study analyzed cells from the plaque buildup of 50 patients, both men and women, the patients were not diagnosed or being treated for cancer.
- “Now that experts have a better understanding of the interplay between these diseases, they can begin to explore new strategies to lower the risk of unintended health concerns caused by their treatment,” study co-author Kathryn Moore, PhD, said in the release.
Read the full study here.
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