Coronary heart disease and hypertension as late effects of testicular cancer treatment--a minireview

The modern treatment of testicular cancer has led to notable improvement in the prognosis of these patients. A significant number of testicular cancer survivors suffer from late effects of their treatment that can occur several years after the treatment. Cardiovascular late effects represent one of the most serious effects with respect to their life-threatening potential. Considering the higher risk of coronary heart disease, numerous studies have investigated the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients treated for testicular cancer. Higher prevalence of hypertension in patients after treatment for testicular cancer may be one of the reasons for their serious cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.The aim of this is to summarize the current knowledge on the impact of review treatment modalities used in testicular cancer therapy on prevalence of hypertension and its pathogenetic context. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are associated with increased prevalence of hypertension several years after completing the treatment. In patients treated with chemotherapy, hypertension is associated with administration of cisplatin. Cisplatin remains in organism for up to 20 years after administration and may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Regular and long-term monitoring of cardiovascular risk should be introduced to ensure better quality of life in these patients.