Cardio-oncology: cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy

• Published in: Future cardiology 2017-07, Vol.13 (4), p.379-396
• Main Authors: Henning, Robert J, Harbison, Raymond D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; angiotensin receptor-blocking agents; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; Biosynthesis; Breast cancer; cancer chemotherapy; Cancer therapies; Cardiomyocytes; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiovascular disease; Chemotherapy; congestive heart failure; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diabetes; DNA; Drug dosages; echocardiography; Free radicals; Gender; Heart failure; Hypertension; Kinases; left ventricular dysfunction; Oncology; Patients; radiation therapy; Risk factors; β-adrenergic blocking drugs
• ISSN: 1479-6678; 1744-8298
• DOI: 10.2217/fca-2016-0081

This paper focuses on three classes of commonly used anticancer drugs, which can cause cardiotoxicity: anthracyclines, monoclonal antibodies exemplified by trastuzumab and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Anthracyclines can induce cardiomyocyte necrosis and fibrosis. Trastuzumab can cause cardiac stunning. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors can increase systemic arterial pressure and impair myocyte contractility. In addition, radiation therapy to the mediastinum or left chest can exacerbate the cardiotoxicity of these anticancer drugs and can also cause accelerated atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart failure and arrhythmias. Left ventricular ejection fraction measurements are most commonly used to assess cardiac function in patients who receive chemo- or radiation-therapy. However, echocardiographic determinations of global longitudinal strain are more sensitive for detection of early left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Information on patient-risk stratification and monitoring is presented and guidelines for the medical treatment of cardiac dysfunction due to cancer therapies are summarized.