We see the continuum of care as holistic. Some Breast Cancer treatment pathways have been associated with bone loss and lower bone mineral density.^*89 If a treatment team is concerned about a patient’s risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures, they may suggest a DXA scan.

Women with breast cancer receiving modern adjuvant chemotherapy show no change in weight, but an increase in body fat % and decrease in BMD⁹⁰. Breast cancer survivors who have received chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)^{**91, 92.}
Horizon^® DXA systems are designed to support the assessment of three major health conditions — osteoporosis, obesity, and adiposity-related aspects of cardiovascular disease – in a single visit while also serving as a body composition assessment tool to help clinicians keep their patients healthy⁺.

^*  Hormonal therapy like Anastrozole has been associated with accelerated bone loss over the 5-year treatment period (6-7%) and lower bone mineral density.⁸⁹

^** Breast cancer survivors who have received chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) relative to women without a cancer history due to:

• pre-existing CVD risk factors, such as increased visceral adipose tissue – VAT;
• combined with the direct effects of radiation-induced cardiovascular injury, cardiotoxic effects of systemic therapies and;
• the indirect effects of cancer treatment, e.g., deconditioning, physical inactivity ^{90, 91}

⁺ Horizon® DXA System is intended for the estimation of bone mineral density, comparison of measured variables obtained from a given QDR scan to a database of reference values, estimation of fracture risk, vertebral deformity assessment, body composition analysis, and discrimination of bone from prosthetics. IVA scans are intended for the visualization or quantitative assessment of vertebral bone deformities. IVA also allows the visualization of abdominal aortic calcification, and, if present, clinical correlation may be advised since abdominal aortic calcification may be associated with cardiovascular disease. The Visceral Fat software estimates the visceral adipose tissue (visceral fat) content within the android region in an adult male or female population, excluding pregnant women. The content that is estimated is the Visceral Fat Area, Visceral Fat Mass, and Visceral Fat Volume. These values can be displayed in user-defined statistical formats and trends.