People with HER2-positive breast cancer are broadly open to taking cardioprotective medication during their cancer treatment, but that willingness comes with conditions, according to a new cross-sectional survey published in the journal Cardio-Oncology. Among 74 respondents surveyed online in Australia and the United States, 74.3% reported being likely or very likely to take medication designed to protect the heart while receiving HER2-directed therapy.
The study addressed a persistent gap in cardio-oncology. Cardiotoxicity remains a key concern of HER2-directed therapies, and no prevention strategies have yet been proven. The researchers argued that the success of any future cardioprotective intervention will depend not only on efficacy but on patient acceptability, a determinant they describe as underexplored in both trial participation and clinical implementation.
The survey assessed willingness to take cardioprotective medication, beliefs about its benefits and risks, and treatment preferences among adults with HER2-positive breast cancer. The respondents included 24 people from Australia and 50 from the United States. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between clinical and demographic characteristics and willingness, but no demographic or clinical predictors of willingness were identified.
Among the US respondents, physician recommendation emerged as a dominant driver of the decision, cited by 79.1%. Most of these respondents, 72.9%, valued long-term cardiovascular health, yet many, 60.4%, indicated they would require stronger evidence before initiating cardioprotective medication. The findings suggest that even favorable attitudes toward prevention rest on a foundation of clinician guidance and unresolved uncertainty about benefit.
A striking pattern in the responses was the hierarchy of priorities: cancer-related outcomes were prioritized over cardiovascular outcomes. At the same time, respondents demonstrated flexibility regarding treatment burden, including willingness to take multiple medications and to continue therapy long-term. This combination, strong cancer focus paired with tolerance for regimen complexity, could shape how future prevention trials are designed and communicated.
Perceived acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of cardioprotective medication were generally favorable among the US respondents, who were asked these implementation-oriented questions. The authors note that these constructs matter because an intervention that patients find unacceptable in principle may struggle to recruit participants in trials or to be adopted in clinics, regardless of how well it performs physiologically.
The study has clear limitations of scope. It was a cross-sectional online survey, so it captures stated willingness at a single point in time rather than actual medication-taking behavior, and its sample of 74 respondents is small, with the majority drawn from the United States. Because no demographic or clinical predictors of willingness were identified, the results cannot yet tell clinicians which individual patients are most receptive to a cardioprotection conversation.
The authors conclude that willingness to adopt cardioprotective strategies was conditional, shaped by cancer priorities, clinician recommendation, and uncertainty regarding benefit. They argue the findings highlight the importance of incorporating patient perspectives into the design of cardioprotection trials and future implementation strategies in cardio-oncology.
Subject of Research: Patient willingness to take cardioprotective medication during HER2-positive breast cancer treatment
Article Title: Patient perspectives on cardioprotective medication during breast cancer treatment
Article References: Houston, L., Bagegni, N. A., Yap, M. L., Lim, E., Neal, B., Deswal, A., Mitchell, J. D., Arnott, C., & Yoo, S. G. K. (2026). Patient perspectives on cardioprotective medication during breast cancer treatment. Cardio-Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40959-026-00576-x
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s40959-026-00576-x
Keywords: cardio-oncology, HER2-positive breast cancer, cardiotoxicity, cardioprotective medication, patient perspectives, cross-sectional survey, physician recommendation, treatment acceptability, Australia, United States, Patient, perspectives
News Source: Nathaniel Bowman. (October 29, 2026). Research report: Patient perspectives on cardioprotective medication during breast cancer treatment. Scienmag.
