


Thickening of the pericardium (constrictive pericarditis).Longer-term complications may not show up for years, sometimes up to 20 years. They’re more common in people who have undergone treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. These conditions generally occur weeks to months after radiation therapy. These include pericarditis and pericardial effusion. The main short-term side effects occur in the pericardium (tissue around the heart). Valves that separate the chambers of your heart and prevent blood from flowing backward.Tissue that covers your heart (pericardium).Cells that produce and carry electrical impulses that maintain your heart rate and rhythm (conduction system).Arteries that carry blood to your heart muscle ( coronary arteries).The heart tissues most often affected by radiation therapy include the: Over time, these tissues may become tough and fibrous, and unable to function properly. Radiation can injure the tissues in and around your heart. How does radiation therapy affect the heart? Radiation heart disease occurs most often in people who receive treatment for:

These problems can develop weeks or years after receiving radiation therapy. Radiation heart disease describes a range of heart problems that occur due to radiation therapy. If you receive radiation therapy to your chest, it can damage your heart. Radiation treatment uses beams of energy to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy is a common treatment for people with cancer.
