Anthracycline therapy induces an early decline of cardiac contractility in low-risk patients with breast cancer

Bibliographic Details
Title: Anthracycline therapy induces an early decline of cardiac contractility in low-risk patients with breast cancer
Authors: Fabian Voß, Fabian Nienhaus, Saskia Pietrucha, Eugen Ruckhäberle, Tanja Fehm, Tobias Melz, Mareike Cramer, Sebastian M. Haberkorn, Ulrich Flögel, Ralf Westenfeld, Daniel Scheiber, Christian Jung, Malte Kelm, Amin Polzin, Florian Bönner
Source: Cardio-Oncology, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2024)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system
LCC:Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Subject Terms: Breast cancer, Anthracyclines, Cardiotoxicity, Myocardial damage, CMR, Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system, RC666-701, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens, RC254-282
More Details: Abstract Aims Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is a dreaded complication of anthracycline therapy. CTRCD most frequently appears in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (CVR) or known cardiovascular disease. However, limited data exist on incidence and course of anthracycline-induced CTRCD in patients without preexisting risk factors. We therefore aimed to longitudinally investigate a cohort of young women on anthracycline treatment due to breast cancer without cardiovascular risk factors or known cardiovascular disease (NCT03940625). Methods and results We enrolled 59 women with primary breast cancer and scheduled anthracycline-based therapy, but without CVR or preexisting cardiovascular disease. We conducted a longitudinal assessment before, immediately and 12 months after cancer therapy with general laboratory, electrocardiograms, echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), including myocardial relaxometry with T1, T2 and extracellular volume mapping. Every single patient experienced a drop in CMR-measured left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 6 ± 3% immediately after cancer therapy. According to the novel definition 32 patients (54.2%) developed CTRCD after 12 months defined by reduction in LVEF, global longitudinal strain (GLS) and/or biomarkers elevation, two of them were symptomatic. Global myocardial T2 relaxation times as well as myocardial mass increased coincidently with a decline in wall-thickening. While T2 values and myocardial mass normalized after 12 months, LVEF and GLS remained impaired. Conclusion In every single patient anthracyclines induce a decline of myocardial contractility, even among patients without pre-existing risk factors for CTRCD. Our data suggest to thoroughly evaluate whether this may lead to an increased risk of future cardiovascular events. Graphical Abstract Reduced myocardial contractility in low-risk patients receiving anthracycline-based cancer therapy. This study included 59 otherwise healthy women with primary breast cancer undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. CMR was performed at baseline, directly and 12 months after cancer therapy. A decline in left ventricular function was observed in every single patient accompanied by transient edema. More than 50% were diagnosed with cancer therapy related cardiovascular dysfunction. LVEF: left ventricular function, CTRCD: cancer therapy related cardiovascular dysfunction, GLS = Global longitudinal strain, hs-TnT = high sensitive Troponin T, NT-pro BNP = NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2057-3804
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2057-3804
DOI: 10.1186/s40959-024-00244-y
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/2a80ab0f0636410096831446a6099c75
Accession Number: edsdoj.2a80ab0f0636410096831446a6099c75
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20573804
DOI:10.1186/s40959-024-00244-y
Published in:Cardio-Oncology
Language:English