Pathophysiology of cancer therapy-provoked atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs with increased frequency in cancer patients, especially in patients who undergo surgery or chemotherapy. AF disturbs the prognosis of cancer patients and challenges therapeutic outcomes of cancer treatment. Elucidating the mechanisms of cancer-induced AF would help identify specific strategies for preventing AF occurrence. In addition to concurrent risk factors of cancer and AF, cancer surgery, side effects of anticancer agents, and cancer-associated immune responses play critical roles in the genesis of AF. In this review, we provide succinct potential mechanisms of AF genesis in cancer patients.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cancer surgery; Chemotherapy; Proinflammatory cytokines.