Abstract:The long-term survival rate of malignant tumor patients has increased significantly with the treatment improvements. Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of chest tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma. The purpose of radiotherapy is to kill tumor cells; however, it is inevitable to have side effects on the surrounding normal tissues while treating tumors. The cardiovascular adverse reaction syndrome caused by chest radiotherapy is called radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). The risk of developing RIHD is a key issue in current oncology practice. The underlying mechanisms of RIHD are not fully understood, and specific therapeutic interventions are lacking. This article reviews the history, current situation, pathological changes, and prevention and treatment measures of RIHD.