ATRIAL FIBRILLATION CAUSED BY THE DISEASE OF CANCER

Abstract

Cancer patients have a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) than the general population. The pathophysiological mechanisms involve the pro- inflammatory status of the immune system in these patients and the exacerbated inflammatory response to cancer treatment and surgeries. Adequate management and
prophylaxis for its occurrence are important to reduce morbidity and mortality in this population. There is a challenge in predicting thromboembolic and bleeding risk in these patients, as standard stroke and hemorrhagic prediction scores are not validated for them. The CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores, commonly used in the general population, are also used for these patients. In this review, we demonstrate the correlated mechanisms of AF occurrence in cancer patients, as well as the therapeutic challenges in managing AF in this population.