Rads, Coronary Arteries and Techniques

maize

Radiation for breast cancer is linked to narrowing of the coronary arteries

http://harvardpartnersinternational.staywellsolutionsonline.com/HealthNewsLetters/69,W0312d

Will my vital organs be protected during breast cancer radiation?

http://www.sharecare.com/question/will-organs-breast-cancer-radiation

Beesie

Maize, to alleviate the concerns of those who might not make the effort to read the article that you've linked, it specifically says:

" The findings are not a reason to choose mastectomy over lumpectomy plus radiation. A lot depends on the technologies used in radiation therapy. This study and others indicate that modern techniques help reduce the risk of heart problems. Also, not every woman who receives radiation - even radiation to the left side - will have a problem. (Only 199 women out of the more than 5,000 who received radiation required coronary angiography.) For one thing, anatomy differs from woman to woman. "The heart may be in the left chest, or it could be in the center. It may be close to the breast or not so close," says Dr. Alphonse Taghian, chief of Breast Radiation Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. Today, radiation oncologists can use CT scans and other techniques to precisely locate the heart, lung, and cancer site before choosing the angle of radiation. "In the old days, we used to treat patients all the same way. But now we have enough technologies to individualize treatment," Dr. Taghian explains."