Troponin I and C-reactive protein are commonly detected in patients with breast cancer treated with dose-dense chemotherapy incorporating trastuzumab and lapatinib

Hyperoside Protects Trastuzumab-Induced Cardiotoxicity via Activating the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

PURPOSE

Trastuzumab is a landmark agent in the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive breast cancer. Nevertheless, trastuzumab also comes with unexpected cardiac side effects. Hyperoside is a natural product that serves beneficial roles in cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of hyperoside in trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity.

METHODS

A female C57BL/6 mice cardiotoxicity model was established via intraperitoneally injecting with trastuzumab (10 mg/kg/day, once every other day, cumulative dosage to 40 mg/kg) with or without hyperoside (15 or 30 mg/kg/day) administration. In vitro, the H9c2 cells were exposed to 1 μM trastuzumab with or without hyperoside (100 or 200 μM) administration. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiographic, myocardial enzymes levels, and pathological section examinations. TUNEL staining and Annexin V-FITC/ propidium iodide flow cytometry were used to analyze the cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the LVEF, LVFS was decreased and the concentrations of cTnT, CK, CK-MB and LDH in mice were significantly increased after treatment with trastuzumab. Collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in the myocardium of the trastuzumab group. However, these changes were all reversed by different doses of hyperoside. In addition, hyperoside attenuated trastuzumab-induced myocardium apoptosis and H9c2 cells apoptosis through inhibiting the expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax. Trastuzumab abolished the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mice and H9c2 cells, while co-treatment of hyperoside effectively increased the ratio of p-Akt/Akt.

CONCLUSION

Hyperoside inhibited trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity through activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Hyperoside may be a promising therapeutic approach to trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity.

Disparities in cardio-oncology: Implication of angiogenesis, inflammation, and chemotherapy

Cancers and cardiovascular diseases are the top two causes of death in the United States. Over the past decades, novel therapies have slowed the cancer mortality rate, yet cardiac failures have risen due to the toxicity of cancer treatments. The mechanisms behind this relationship are poorly understood and it is crucial that we properly treat patients at risk of developing cardiac failure in response to cancer treatments. Currently, we rely on early-stage biomarkers of inflammation and angiogenesis to detect cardiotoxicity before it becomes irreversible. Identification of such biomarkers allows healthcare professionals to decrease the adverse effects of cancer therapies. Angiogenesis and inflammation have a systemic influence on the heart and vasculature following cancer therapy. In the field of cardio-oncology, there has been a recent emphasis on gender and racial disparities in cardiotoxicity and the impact of these disparities on disease outcomes, but there is a scarcity of data on how cardiotoxicity varies across diverse populations. Here, we will discuss how current markers of angiogenesis and inflammation induced by cancer therapy are related to disparities in cardiovascular health.

High-intensity exercise prescription guided by heart rate variability in breast cancer patients: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a chronic disease with a large growth in its treatments, prognosis, improvements, side effects and rehabilitation therapies research. These advances have also highlighted the need to use physical exercise as a countermeasure to reduce the cardiotoxicity of pharmacological treatments, increase patients' strength and quality of life and improve body composition, physical condition and mental health. However, new investigations show the need for a closed exercise individualisation to produce higher physiological, physical and psychological benefits in remote exercise programs. To this end, the present study will use, in a novel way in this population, heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure for prescribing high-intensity training. Thus, the primary objective of this randomised clinical trial is to analyse the effects of a high-intensity exercise program daily guided by HRV, a preplanned moderate to high-intensity exercise intervention and a usual care group, in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.

METHODS

For this purpose, a 16-week intervention will be carried out with 90 breast cancer patients distributed in 3 groups (a control group, a moderate to high-intensity preplanned exercise group and a high-intensity exercise group guided by HRV). Both physical exercise interventions will be developed remotely and supervised including strength and cardiovascular exercises. Physiological variables, such as cardiotoxicity, biomarkers, lipid profile, glucose, heart rate and blood pressure; physical measures like cardiorespiratory capacity, strength, flexibility, agility, balance and body composition; and psychosocial variables, as health-related quality of life, fatigue, functionality, self-esteem, movement fear, physical exercise level, anxiety and depression will be measure before, after the intervention and 3 and 6 months follow up.

DISCUSSION

Personalized high-intensity exercise could be a promising exercise intervention in contrast to moderate-intensity or usual care in breast cancer patients to reach higher clinical, physical and mental effects. In addition, the novelty of controlling HRV measures daily may reflect exercise effects and patients' adaptation in the preplanned exercise group and a new opportunity to adjust intensity. Moreover, findings may support the effectiveness and security of physical exercise remotely supervised, although with high-intensity exercise, to reach cardiotoxicity improvements and increase physical and psychosocial variables after breast cancer treatments. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov nº NCT05040867 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT05040867 ).

Cardiovascular Disease as a Consequence or a Cause of Cancer: Potential Role of Extracellular Vesicles

Both cardiovascular disease and cancer continue to be causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Preventing and treating heart disease in patients undergoing cancer treatment remain an important and ongoing challenge for improving the lives of cancer patients, but also for their survival. Despite ongoing efforts to improve patient survival, minimal advances have been made in the early detection of cardiovascular disease in patients suffering from cancer. Understanding the communication between cancer and cardiovascular disease can be based on a deeper knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that define the profile of the bilateral network and establish disease-specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The role of exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies, together defined as extracellular vesicles (EVs), in cross talk between cardiovascular disease and cancer is in an incipient form of research. Here, we will discuss the preclinical evidence on the bilateral connection between cancer and cardiovascular disease (especially early cardiac changes) through some specific mediators such as EVs. Investigating EV-based biomarkers and therapies may uncover the responsible mechanisms, detect the early stages of cardiovascular damage and elucidate novel therapeutic approaches. The ultimate goal is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases by improving the standard of care in oncological patients treated with anticancer drugs or radiotherapy.

Cardiac Biomarkers for the Detection and Management of Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiovascular Toxicity

Cardiotoxicity is one of the major side effects of anti-cancer therapy affecting the overall prognosis of patients and possibly leading to the discontinuation of chemotherapy. Traditional cardiovascular tests such as electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography have limited sensitivity and specificity for the early detection of myocardial injury. Cardiovascular imaging generally detects cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) at advanced stages, whereas biomarkers are inexpensive, easily detected, reproducible, and capable of detecting even minimal cardiomyocyte damage or mild hemodynamic fluctuations. The presence of circulating cardiac biomarkers has been investigated as early indicators of cardiotoxicity and predictors of subsequent CTRCD. Currently, the most frequently used cardiac biomarkers are cardiac troponin (cTn) and natriuretic peptides (NPs). This review presents the evidence gathered so far regarding the usefulness and limitations of cardiac biomarkers in the field of cardio-oncology.

Elevated troponin I levels on admission predict long-term mortality in patients with acute cerebral infarction following thrombolysis

Background/objective

Cardiac diseases are frequently accompanied by elevated levels of biomarkers, among which, troponin is commonly investigated. The levels of plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI), which has been shown to predict short-term mortality, are elevated in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). However, few studies have assessed the association between cTnI concentration and long-term mortality in patients with ACI following thrombolysis.

Methods

Patients with ACI admitted between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016, were registered. Data on demographics and outcomes with elevated cTnI levels were also collected.

Results

A total of 145 patients with ACI were recruited; 97 (66%), 30 (20%), and 18 (12%) patients had cTnI concentrations < 0.030 (group 1), 0.030–0.10 (group 2), and > 0.10 μg/L (group 3), respectively. cTnI elevation was associated with older age, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, coronary artery disease, stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score), and prior smoking history at admission. After adjusting for comorbidities and severity at 3 months after ACI, cTnI elevation on admission was significantly associated with ascending 5-year mortality (hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.22–2.65).

Conclusions

Even after adjusting for several possible confounders, cTnI elevation in patients with ACI treated with rt-PA was associated with a 1.80-fold increased risk of 5-year mortality.

Cardiac safety analysis of anti-HER2-targeted therapy in early breast cancer

To evaluate the cardiac safety of anti-HER2-targeted therapy for early breast cancer; to investigate whether trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab increases cardiac toxicity compared with trastuzumab; to evaluate the predictive value of high-sensitivity Troponin (hs-TnI) and QTc for the cardiotoxicity associated with anti-HER2 targeted therapy in early breast cancer. A total of 420 patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer who received trastuzumab or trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab for more than half a year in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2018 to February 2021 were included. Left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), hs-TnI values, and QTc were measured at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12 months. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease in LVEF of at least 10 percentage points from baseline on follow-up echocardiography. Cardiotoxicity developed in 67 of the 420 patients (15.9%) and all patients had LVEF above 50% before and after treatment. The incidence of cardiotoxicity in trastuzumab and trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab was 14.3% and 17.9%, respectively (P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, coronary heart disease, left chest wall radiotherapy, and anthracyclines sequential therapy were independent risk factors for cardiotoxicity (P < 0.05). The value of hs-TnI and QTc at the end of treatment (12th month) were selected for ROC curve prediction analysis and the area under the ROC curve was 0.724 and 0.713, respectively, which was significantly different from the area of 0.5 (P < 0.05). The decrease of LVEF in the study was mostly asymptomatic, from the heart safety point of view, the anti-HER2 targeted therapy for early breast cancer was well tolerated. Trastuzumab combined with pertuzumab did not significantly increase cardiotoxicity. However, subgroup analysis suggests that in the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and sequential treatment with anthracene, trastuzumab and pertuzumab may increase the cardiac burden compared with trastuzumab. Hs-TnI and QTc may be useful in monitoring and predicting cardiotoxicity associated with anti-HER2 targeted therapy for early breast cancer.

The Value of Troponin as a Biomarker of Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity

In cancer survivors, cardiac dysfunction is the main cause of mortality. Cardiotoxicity represents a decline in cardiac function associated with cancer therapy, and the risk factors include smoking, dyslipidemia, an age of over 60 years, obesity, and a history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure. Troponin is a biomarker that is widely used in the detection of acute coronary syndromes. It has a high specificity, although it is not exclusively associated with myocardial ischemia. The aim of this paper is to summarize published studies and to establish the role of troponin assays in the diagnosis of cardiotoxicity associated with various chemotherapeutic agents. Troponin has been shown to be a significant biomarker in the diagnosis of the cardiac dysfunction associated with several types of chemotherapeutic drugs: anthracyclines, anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 treatment, and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy. Based on the data available at this moment, troponin is useful for baseline risk assessment, the diagnosis of cardiotoxicity, and as a guide for the initiation of cardioprotective treatment. There are currently clear regulations regarding the timing of troponin surveillance depending on the patient’s risk of cardiotoxicity and the type of medication administered, but data on the cut-off values of this biomarker are still under investigation.

Severe Cardiac Toxicity Induced by Cancer Therapies Requiring Intensive Care Unit Admission

A steadying increase of cancer survivors has been observed as a consequence of more effective therapies. However, chemotherapy regimens are often associated with significant toxicity, and cardiac damage emerges as a prominent clinical issue. Many mechanisms sustain chemotherapy-induced cardiac toxicity: direct myocyte damage, arrhythmia induction, coronary vasospasm, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Anthracyclines are the most studied cardiotoxic drugs and represent a clinical model for cardiac damage induced by chemotherapy. In patients suffering from advanced heart failure (HF) because of chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy, when refractory to optimal medical therapy, mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation represents an effective treatment. Here, the main mechanisms of cardiac toxicity induced by cancer therapies are analyzed, with a focus on patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission during the course of the disease because of acute cardiac toxicity, takotsubo syndrome, and acute-on-chronic HF in patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy. In a subset of patients, cardiac toxicity can be acute and life-threatening, leading to overt cardiogenic shock. The management of critically ill cancer patients poses a unique challenge and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Moreover, no etiologic therapy is available, and only supportive measures can be implemented.

Cardiotoxicity Associated with Chemotherapy Used in Gastrointestinal Tumours

Cardiotoxicity is a well-recognised side effect of cancer-related therapies with a great impact on outcomes and quality of life in the cancer survivor population. The pathogenesis of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers involves various molecular mechanisms, and the combined use of various chemotherapies augments the risk of each drug used alone. In terms of cardiotoxicity diagnosis, novel biomarkers, such as troponins, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), myeloperoxidases and miRNAs have been recently assessed. Echocardiography is a noninvasive imaging method of choice for the primary assessment of chemotherapy-treated patients to generally evaluate the cardiovascular impact of these drugs. Novel echocardiography techniques, like three-dimensional and stress echocardiography, will improve diagnosis efficacy. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can evaluate cardiac morphology, function and wall structure. Corroborated data have shown the importance of CMR in the early evaluation of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, treated with anticancer drugs, but further studies are required to improve risk stratification in these patients. In this article, we review some important aspects concerning the cardiotoxicity of antineoplastic drugs used in gastrointestinal cancers. We also discuss the mechanism of cardiotoxicity, the role of biomarkers and the imaging methods used in its detection.

Adjuvant breast cancer treatments cardiotoxicity and modern methods of detection and prevention of cardiac complications

The most common cancer diagnosis in female population is breast cancer, which affects every year about 2.0 million women worldwide. In recent years, significant progress has been made in oncological therapy, in systemic treatment, and in radiotherapy of breast cancer. Unfortunately, the improvement in the effectiveness of oncological treatment and prolonging patients' life span is associated with more frequent occurrence of organ complications, which are side effects of this treatment. Current recommendations suggest a periodic monitoring of the cardiovascular system in course of oncological treatment. The monitoring includes the assessment of occurrence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in combination with the evaluation of the left ventricular systolic function using echocardiography and electrocardiography as well as with the analysis of the concentration of cardiac biomarkers. The aim of this review was critical assessment of the breast cancer therapy cardiotoxicity and the analysis of methods its detections. The new cardio-specific biomarkers in serum, the development of modern imaging techniques (Global Longitudinal Strain and Three-Dimensional Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction) and genotyping, and especially their combined use, may become a useful tool for identifying patients at risk of developing cardiotoxicity, who require further cardiovascular monitoring or cardioprotective therapy.

Oxidative stress and inflammation: determinants of anthracycline cardiotoxicity and possible therapeutic targets

Chemotherapy with anthracycline-based regimens remains a cornerstone of treatment of many solid and blood tumors but is associated with a significant risk of cardiotoxicity, which can manifest as asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction or overt heart failure. These effects are typically dose-dependent and cumulative and may require appropriate screening strategies and cardioprotective therapies in order to minimize changes to anticancer regimens or even their discontinuation. Our current understanding of cardiac damage by anthracyclines includes a central role of oxidative stress and inflammation. The identification of these processes through circulating biomarkers or imaging techniques might then be helpful for early diagnosis and risk stratification. Furthermore, therapeutic strategies relieving oxidative stress and inflammation hold promise to prevent heart failure development or at least to mitigate cardiac damage, although further evidence is needed on their efficacy, either alone or as part of combination therapies with neurohormonal antagonists, which are the current adopted standard.

Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity: a review of clinical risk factors, pharmacologic prevention, and cardiotoxicity of other HER2-directed therapies

PURPOSE

Despite great success as a targeted breast cancer therapy, trastuzumab use may be complicated by heart failure and loss of left ventricular contractile function. This review summarizes the risk factors, imaging, and prevention of cardiotoxicity associated with trastuzumab and other HER2-targeted therapies.

FINDINGS

Cardiovascular disease risk factors, advanced age, and previous anthracycline treatment predispose to trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC), with anthracycline exposure being the most significant risk factor. Cardiac biomarkers such as troponins and pro-BNP and imaging assessments such as echocardiogram before and during trastuzumab therapy may help in early identification of TIC. Initiation of beta-adrenergic antagonists and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors may prevent TIC. Cardiotoxicity rates of other HER2-targeted treatments, such as pertuzumab, T-DM1, lapatinib, neratinib, tucatinib, trastuzumab deruxtecan, and margetuximab, appear to be significantly lower as reported in the pivotal trials which led to their approval.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk assessment for TIC should include cardiac imaging assessment and should incorporate prior anthracycline use, the strongest risk factor for TIC. Screening and prediction of cardiotoxicity, referral to a cardio-oncology specialist, and initiation of effective prophylactic therapy may all improve prognosis in patients receiving HER2-directed therapy. Beta blockers and ACE inhibitors appear to mitigate risk of TIC. Anthracycline-free regimens have been proven to be efficacious in early HER2-positive breast cancer and should now be considered the standard of care for early HER2-positive breast cancer. Newer HER2-directed therapies appear to have significantly lower cardiotoxicity compared to trastuzumab, but trials are needed in patients who have experienced TIC and patients with pre-existing cardiac dysfunction.

Potential of exosomes as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic carriers for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a kind of representative anthracyclines. It has greatly prolonged lifespan of cancer patients. However, a long course of DOX chemotherapy could induce various forms of deaths of cardiomyocytes, such as apoptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis, contributing to varieties of cardiac complications called cardiotoxicity. It has become a major concern considering the large number of cancer patients' worldwide and increased survival rates after chemotherapy. Exosomes, a subgroup of extracellular vesicles (EVs), are secreted by nearly all cells and consist of lipid bilayers, nucleic acids and proteins. They can serve as mediators between intercellular communication via the transfer of bioactive molecules from secretory to recipient cells, modulating multiple pathophysiological processes. It has been proven that exosomes in body fluids can serve as biomarkers for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). Moreover, exosomes have attracted considerable attention because of their capacity as carriers of certain proteins, genetic materials (miRNA and lncRNA), and chemotherapeutic drugs to decrease the dosage of DOX and alleviate cardiotoxicity. This review briefly describes the characteristics of exosomes and highlights their clinical application potential as diagnostic biomarkers and drug delivery vehicles for DIC, thus providing a strategy for addressing it based on exosomes.

Assessment and Management of Cardiotoxicity in Hematologic Malignancies

With the increasing overall survival of cancer patients due to recent discoveries in oncology, the incidence of side effects is also rising, and along with secondary malignancies, cardiotoxicity is one of the most concerning side effects, affecting the quality of life of cancer survivors. There are two types of cardiotoxicity associated with chemotherapy; the first one is acute, life-threatening but, fortunately, in most of the cases, reversible; and the second one is with late onset and mostly irreversible. The most studied drugs associated with cardiotoxicity are anthracyclines, but many new agents have demonstrated unexpected cardiotoxic effect, including those currently used in multiple myeloma treatment (proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents), tyrosine kinase inhibitors used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and some forms of acute leukemia, and immune checkpoint inhibitors recently introduced in treatment of refractory lymphoma patients. To prevent irreversible myocardial damage, early recognition of cardiac toxicity is mandatory. Traditional methods like echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging are capable of detecting structural and functional changings, but unable to detect early myocardial damage; therefore, more sensible biomarkers like troponins and natriuretic peptides have to be introduced into the current practice. Baseline assessment of patients allows the identification of those with high risk for cardiotoxicity, while monitoring during and after treatment is important for early detection of cardiotoxicity and prompt intervention.

Proinflammatory circulating markers: new players for evaluating asymptomatic acute cardiovascular toxicity in breast cancer treatment

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate markers of cardiac damage (total CK, CKMB and CRP), inflammatory markers (free iron, homocysteine and TNF-α) as well as lipidogram in breast cancer patients undergoing acute cycles of doxorubicin (DOX), paclitaxel (PTX) or trastuzumab (TZ) and to verify if there is an association between these markers and the toxicity of the chemotherapeutic treatment. Methods: Included in the study were 120 breast cancer patients and 50 healthy controls. All analyzes were performed on automated systems. For the statistical analysis, each group was compared with the controls according to their normality by Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Our results showed that DOX treatment led to increased hsCRP (4.80 ± 1.23 mg/dL, p = 0.0005), triglycerides (187.6 ± 25.06, p = 0.0231), TNF-α (42.31 ± 17.96 pg/mL, p = 0.01) and Fe levels (138.8 ± 18.6 μg/dL, p = 0.0193). In the meantime, PTX induced changes in CK-MB (8.78 ± 4.2 U/L, p = 0.0361), hsCRP (7.12 ± 1.87 mg/dL, p = 0.0006), cholesterol (201.7 ± 19.54, p = 0.05), triglycerides (201.7 ± 19.54, p = 0.0277), TNF-α (38.27 ± 9.12 pg/mL, p = 0.023), homocysteine (10.95 ± 0, 86 μmol/L, p = 0.005), and free iron (113 ± 18 6 μg/dL, p = 0.045) while TZ augmented CK-MB (6.9 ± 1.97 U/L, p < 0.00), hsPCR (3.12 ± 0.68 mg/dL, p = 0.095), cholesterol (218.3 ± 16.79, p = 0.0317), triglycerides (218.3 ± 16.79, p = 0.0127), TNF-α (89.6 ± 12.11, p = 0.032), homocysteine (9.95 ± 1.15 μmol/L, p = 0.0396), free iron (120.5 ± 4.64 μg/dl, p = 0.0058) as well. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated the existence of a proinflammatory net triggered by breast cancer chemotherapy that could increase cardiomyocytes permeability and allow the leakage of circulating proteins as CK-MB and induce the production of hsCRP.

A Prospective Study of Early Radiation Associated Cardiac Toxicity Following Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for Distal Esophageal Cancer

Purpose: This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the early effects of radiation on cardiac structure and function following neoadjuvant chemoradiation for distal esophageal cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients with non-metastatic esophageal cancer who were suitable for tri-modality therapy with concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy were enrolled. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was obtained at baseline and 3-5 months following completion of chemoradiation. Standardized myocardial segmentation was used to identify regions on post-treatment CMR with new T2 signal or late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Pre and post-treatment cardiac function was assessed with quantitative end points including left ventricle end-systolic volume (LSESV). Serum biomarkers of cardiac damage including troponin I, CRP, and BNP were collected at baseline and time of follow-up CMR. Results: A total of 11 patients were enrolled from 2016 to 2018. Patients had clinical stage T2 (18%) and T3 (82%) disease with clinical N0 (27%) and N1 (73%) nodal stage. All patients completed baseline CMR and completed chemoradiotherapy. One patient did not complete follow-up CMR or serum biomarkers and was excluded from the analysis. The median time from completion of chemoradiation to follow-up CMR was 3.9 months. Three out of 10 patients (30%) developed new structural findings of myocardial fibrosis and/or reversible ischemia involving the basal and mid-inferior and inferoseptal walls. In these three patients, the LVESV was significantly increased from baseline following radiation. There were no differences in other quantitative end points or serum biomarkers between the patients with myocardial damage and those without. Conclusions: Our study is the first to our knowledge to prospectively demonstrate radiation associated structural and functional heart damage as early as 3 months following neoadjuvant chemoradiation for distal esophageal cancer. Given the early onset of this subclinical heart damage, strategies should be developed to identify patients at risk for future clinically significant heart toxicity.

The Role of Biomarkers in Cardio-Oncology

In the field of cardio-oncology, it is well recognised that despite the benefits of chemotherapy in treating and possibly curing cancer, it can cause catastrophic damage to bystander tissues resulting in a range of potentially of life-threatening cardiovascular toxicities, and leading to a number of damaging side effects including heart failure and myocardial infarction. Cardiotoxicity is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in the long-term in oncology patients, specifically due to left ventricular dysfunction. There is increasing emphasis on the early use of biomarkers in order to detect the cardiotoxicity at a stage before it becomes irreversible. The most important markers of cardiac injury are cardiac troponin and natriuretic peptides, whilst markers of inflammation such as interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase, Galectin-3, growth differentiation factor-15 are under investigation for their use in detecting cardiotoxicity early. In addition, microRNAs, genome-wide association studies and proteomics are being studied as novel markers of cardiovascular injury or inflammation. The aim of this literature review is to discuss the evidence base behind the use of these biomarkers for the detection of cardiotoxicity.

Nanoformulated Ajwa (Phoenix Dactylifera) Bioactive Compounds Improve the Safety of Doxorubicin without Compromising its Anticancer Efficacy in Breast Cancer

One of the major causes of women's death in the world is breast cancer. Consequently, numerous regimens for the control of this severe disease have been created. The chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) is frequently used to treat breast cancer, but DOX can also cause cardiotoxic effects that lead to heart failure. Therefore, many research studies have been done to find a natural product that effectively potentiates or does not interfere with DOX's anticancer effect and protects against its cardiotoxicity. We studied the impact of combined nanoformulated Ajwa (Phoenix dactylifera) selected bioactive compounds (BAC) rutin (R) and quercetin (Q) in nude mice breast cancer xenografts on DOX-mediated anticancer efficacy. We also studied if this Ajwa BAC could safeguard against DOX-mediated cardiomyopathies by evaluating plasma cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) levels and cardiac histopathology. Nanoformulated Ajwa BAC effectively alleviated weight loss induced by DOX in mice and significantly decreased the elevated cTn-I. Furthermore, 5 mg RQ-NPs/kg of nude mice that subcutaneously daily injected for 11 days, attenuated the histopathological alterations induced in cardiac muscles due to DOX without any interference with the anticancer effects of DOX against breast cancer.

Research progress of biomarkers in early detection of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity

With the advances of drug therapy, the prognosis of cancer patients has seen remarkable improvements, and cancer-related mortality has decreased significantly. However, the followed drug-related cardiotoxicity becomes a serious threat to patients' living quality and survival rate. Cardiovascular toxicity associated with some chemotherapy drugs is reversible and dose-dependent. If early identification is possible, early cardiovascular protection measures or adjustment of chemotherapy regimens can be taken to improve the prognosis of patients. Therefore, early prevention and monitoring of chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity are critical for cancer patients and survivors. Among them, biomarkers are an important method for the early identification of myocardial injury.

Precision Medicine and the Role of Biomarkers of Radiotherapy Response in Breast Cancer

Radiotherapy remains an important treatment modality in nearly two thirds of all cancers, including the primary curative or palliative treatment of breast cancer. Unfortunately, largely due to tumor heterogeneity, tumor radiotherapy response rates can vary significantly, even between patients diagnosed with the same tumor type. Although in recent years significant technological advances have been made in the way radiation can be precisely delivered to tumors, it is proving more difficult to personalize radiotherapy regimens based on cancer biology. Biomarkers that provide prognostic or predictive information regarding a tumor's intrinsic radiosensitivity or its response to treatment could prove valuable in helping to personalize radiation dosing, enabling clinicians to make decisions between different treatment options whilst avoiding radiation-induced toxicity in patients unlikely to gain therapeutic benefit. Studies have investigated numerous ways in which both patient and tumor radiosensitivities can be assessed. Tumor molecular profiling has been used to develop radiosensitivity gene signatures, while the assessment of specific intracellular or secreted proteins, including circulating tumor cells, exosomes and DNA, has been performed to identify prognostic or predictive biomarkers of radiation response. Finally, the investigation of biomarkers related to radiation-induced toxicity could provide another means by which radiotherapy could become personalized. In this review, we discuss studies that have used these methods to identify or develop prognostic/predictive signatures of radiosensitivity, and how such assays could be used in the future as a means of providing personalized radiotherapy.

Cardiac monitoring in HER2-positive patients on trastuzumab treatment: A review and implications for clinical practice

Trastuzumab prolongs progression-free and overall survival in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. However, trastuzumab treatment is hampered by cardiotoxicity, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decline with a reported incidence ranging from 3 to 27% depending on variable factors. Early identification of patients at increased risk of trastuzumab-induced myocardial damage is of great importance to prevent deterioration to irreversible cardiotoxicity. Although current cardiac monitoring with multi gated acquisition (MUGA) scanning and/or conventional 2D-echocardiography (2DE) have a high availability, their reproducibility are modest, and more sensitive and reliable techniques are needed such as 3D-echocardiography (3DE) and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). But which other diagnostic imaging modalities are available for patients before and during trastuzumab treatment? In addition, what is the optimal frequency and duration of cardiac monitoring? At last, which biomarker monitoring strategies are currently available for the identification of cardiotoxicity in patients treated with trastuzumab?

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Current MUGA is not sensitive and reliable enough to detect cardiotoxicity early.

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3DE (with STE) is most suitable for cardiac monitoring of patients on trastuzumab.

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The optimal frequency and duration of cardiac monitoring is not yet established.

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MPO and hs-troponin are promising biomarkers to detect cardiotoxicity.

Cardiotoxicity of HER2-targeted therapies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiotoxicity is a well recognized adverse effect of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapies. The goal of this review is to highlight recent studies that have advanced our knowledge of the diagnosis, prevention, and management of cardiotoxicity associated with HER2-targeted agents.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several clinical risk factors for cardiotoxicity associated with HER2-targeted therapies have been identified including age, low-baseline left ventricular ejection fraction, and treatment with anthracyclines; however, these remain insufficient to identify all patients at risk for cardiotoxicity. Routine cardiac monitoring remains the standard for cardiotoxicity surveillance, although the optimal frequency and modality of monitoring remains uncertain. Global longitudinal strain, T1/T2 weighted CMR imaging protocols, and circulating biomarkers can detect early signs of cardiotoxicity, but studies are needed to investigate whether use of these markers in clinical practice improves patient outcomes. Cardioprotective medications (e.g. beta-blockers or ACE-inhibitors) may be of benefit to patients at increased risk for cardiotoxicity from HER2-taregeted therapies, particularly those who are treated with an anthracycline-containing regimen.

SUMMARY

Improved risk stratification of patients during HER2-targeted therapy and effective prevention and management strategies for cardiotoxicity are needed to enhance the value of longitudinal cardiac monitoring and increase cardiac safety so that optimal breast cancer treatment can be delivered.

Changes in Cardiovascular Biomarkers With Breast Cancer Therapy and Associations With Cardiac Dysfunction

Background

We examined the longitudinal associations between changes in cardiovascular biomarkers and cancer therapy–related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in patients with breast cancer treated with cardotoxic cancer therapy.

Methods and Results

Repeated measures of high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT), NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide), myeloperoxidase, placental growth factor, and growth differentiation factor 15 were assessed longitudinally in a prospective cohort of 323 patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab followed over a maximum of 3.7 years with serial echocardiograms. CTRCD was defined as a ≥10% decline in left ventricular ejection fraction to a value <50%. Associations between changes in biomarkers and left ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated in repeated‐measures linear regression models. Cox regression models assessed the associations between biomarkers and CTRCD. Early increases in all biomarkers occurred with anthracycline‐based regimens. hs‐cTnT levels >14 ng/L at anthracycline completion were associated with a 2‐fold increased CTRCD risk (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.00–4.06). There was a modest association between changes in NT‐proBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction in the overall cohort; this was most pronounced with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (1.1% left ventricular ejection fraction decline [95% CI, −1.8 to –0.4] with each NT‐proBNP doubling). Increases in NT‐proBNP were also associated with CTRCD (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.32–1.84). Increases in myeloperoxidase were associated with CTRCD in patients who received sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.04–1.58).

Conclusions

Cardiovascular biomarkers may play an important role in CTRCD risk prediction in patients with breast cancer who receive cardiotoxic cancer therapy, particularly in those treated with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01173341.

Precise safety pharmacology studies of lapatinib for onco-cardiology assessed using in vivo canine models

Cancer chemotherapies have improved prognosis in cancer patients, resulting in a large and rapidly increasing number of cancer survivors. "Onco-cardiology" or "cardio-oncology" is a new discipline for addressing the unanticipated cardiac side effects of newly developed cancer drugs. Lapatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor suppressing the epidermal growth factor receptor and ErbB2, has been used in advanced or metastatic breast cancer treatment. Reportedly, lapatinib has induced cardiovascular adverse events including QT-interval prolongation and heart failure. However, they have not been predicted by preclinical studies. Hence, a new method to assess the tyrosine kinase inhibitor-induced adverse effects needs to be established. Here, we intravenously administered lapatinib to halothane-anaesthetised dogs, evaluating cardiohemodynamic, electrophysiological, and echocardiographic profiles for pharmacological safety assessments. We intravenously administered lapatinib to chronic atrioventricular block beagle dogs to assess its proarrhythmic potential. The therapeutic concentration of lapatinib significantly increased total peripheral vascular resistance, QT, QTc, monophasic action potential (MAP)_90(sinus), MAP_90(CL400), effective refractory period, and plasma concentration of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), suggesting that lapatinib prolonged the ventricular repolarization without inducing lethal ventricular arrhythmia. Careful monitoring of plasma cTnI concentration and an electrocardiogram could be supportive biomarkers, predicting the onset of lapatinib-induced cardiovascular adverse events.

Proceedings From the Global Cardio-Oncology Summit: The Top 10 Priorities to Actualize for CardioOncology

The discipline of cardio-oncology has expanded at a remarkable pace. Recent developments and challenges to clinicians who practice cardio-oncology were presented at the Global Cardio-Oncology Summit on October 3 to 4, 2019, in São Paulo, Brazil. Here, we present the top 10 priorities for our field that were discussed at the meeting, and also detail a potential path forward to address these challenges. Defining robust predictors of cardiotoxicity, clarifying the role of cardioprotection, managing and preventing thromboembolism, improving hematopoietic stem cell transplant outcomes, personalizing cardiac interventions, building the cardio-oncology community, detecting and treating cardiovascular events associated with immunotherapy, understanding tyrosine kinase inhibitor cardiotoxicity, and enhancing survivorship care are all priorities for the field. The path forward requires a commitment to research, education, and excellence in clinical care to improve our patients' lives.

Decline in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Following Anthracyclines Predicts Trastuzumab Cardiotoxicity

OBJECTIVES

The aim of CATS (Cardiotoxicity of Adjuvant Trastuzumab Study) was to prospectively assess clinical, biochemical, and genomic predictors of trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity (TRC).

BACKGROUND

Cardiac dysfunction is a common adverse effect of trastuzumab. Studies to identify predictive biomarkers for TRC have enrolled heterogeneous populations and yielded mixed results.

METHODS

A total of 222 patients with early-stage human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer scheduled to receive adjuvant anthracyclines followed by 12 months of trastuzumab were prospectively recruited from 17 centers. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), troponin T, and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide were measured at baseline, post-anthracycline, and every 3 months during trastuzumab. Germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ERBB2, FCGR2A, and FCGR3A were analyzed. TRC was defined as symptomatic heart failure; cardiac death, arrhythmia, or infarction; a decrease in LVEF of >15% from baseline; or a decrease in LVEF of >10% to <50%.

RESULTS

TRC occurred in 18 of 217 subjects (8.3%). Lower pre-anthracycline LVEF and greater interval decline in LVEF from pre- to post-anthracycline were each associated with TRC on multivariate analyses (odds ratio: 3.9 [p = 0.0001] and 7.9 [p < 0.0001] for a 5% absolute change in LVEF). Higher post-anthracycline N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level was associated with TRC on univariate but not multivariate analyses. There were no associations between troponin T or ERBB2/FGCR polymorphisms and TRC. Baseline LVEF and LVEF change post-anthracycline were used to generate a "low-risk TRC score" to identify patients with low TRC incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Low baseline LVEF and greater LVEF decline post-anthracycline were both independent predictors of TRC. The other biomarkers did not further improve the ability to predict TRC. (Cardiotoxicity of Adjuvant Trastuzumab [CATS]; NCT00858039).

HER2+ breast cancer treatment and cardiotoxicity: monitoring and management

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women worldwide, with incidence increasing in lower-income countries. For patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer, widespread availability of several agents targeting the HER2 receptor has resulted in survival gains over the past decades. However, improved survival has resulted in an increased need for management and mitigation of adverse events associated with anticancer therapy. Cardiac adverse events such as decreased ejection fraction and heart failure have been of particular concern in patients with HER2+ breast cancer. Anti-HER2 agents and chemotherapies (specifically anthracyclines, which are frequently used to treat HER2+ disease) have been associated with cardiotoxicity. As increasing numbers of patients are living longer due to more effective therapy, a better understanding of both monitoring and management of cardiotoxicity is urgently needed.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted via PubMed in January 2018 for phase II and phase III trials of "trastuzumab", "lapatinib", "pertuzumab", "T-DM1", "neratinib", in "breast cancer". Literature was evaluated for content related to cardiac adverse events.

FINDINGS

We describe the incidence of and proposed mechanisms for the cardiotoxicity of available HER2-targeted therapies. We summarize current and emerging practices in the management of cardiotoxicity and provide guidance for routine patient care in real-world practice using illustrative patient scenarios.

CONCLUSIONS

The future of cardiotoxicity management in patients with HER2+ breast cancer is discussed, with a focus on novel techniques to improve cardiac outcomes, including new imaging modalities, biomarkers, interventional therapies, and ongoing trials.

NT-proBNP correlates with LVEF decline in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab

Background

Early identification of cardiac dysfunction by non-invasive imaging in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab is challenging. In particular multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan, which is most widely used, is unable to detect subclinical cardiac changes. The use of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a serum biomarker of myocardial stress, might improve timely diagnosis.

Methods

This prospective, single-center, cohort study included patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who started trastuzumab therapy. Echocardiography was scheduled at regular intervals every 3 months during one year follow-up for cardiac function monitoring. For research purposes, NT-proBNP was determined at the same time points. Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC) was the primary study endpoint, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45%, and/or an absolute decline in LVEF > 10% since inclusion, and/or the incidence of a clinical cardiac event.

Results

A total of 135 patients were enrolled between April 2008 and June 2016, with a median age of 54 years (IQR: 47–61). By three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE), the median LVEF at baseline was 62% (IQR: 58–65). At a median of 6 months (IQR: 5–11), 45 patients (33%) reached the study endpoint of TIC. Patients with TIC had a mean change of − 9.5% in LVEF (95% CI -7.2 to − 11.7; p = 0.001) during 1 year of trastuzumab treatment. Both NT-proBNP at baseline (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02–1.07; p = 0.003) and LVEF decline during anthracycline treatment prior to the start of trastuzumab (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07–1.25; p < 0.001) were independently associated with development of TIC. The level of NT-proBNP during follow-up was associated too with development of TIC (HR 1.06 per 10 pmol/l difference, 95% CI 1.02–1.10; p = 0.008). No steadily or sudden increase in NT-proBNP prior to TIC was observed.

Conclusions

NT-proBNP cannot be used as a surrogate monitoring tool for trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in HER2-positive breast cancer patients during the first year of treatment. Patients showing an LVEF decline during anthracycline pre-treatment appeared vulnerable for trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40959-019-0039-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Subclinical Left Ventricular Dysfunction During Chemotherapy

Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction is the most common cardiac complication after chemotherapy administration. Detection and early treatment are major issues for better cardiac outcomes in this cancer population. The most common definition of cardiotoxicity is a 10-percentage point decrease of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to a value <53%. The myocardial injury induced by chemotherapies is probably a continuum starting with cardiac biomarkers increase before the occurence of a structural myocardial deformation leading to a LVEF decline. An individualised risk profile (depending on age, cardiovascular risk factors, type of chemotherapy, baseline troponin, baseline global longitudinal strain and baseline LVEF) has to be determined before starting chemotherapy to consider cardioprotective treatment. To date, there is no proof of a systematic cardioprotective treatment (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and/or beta-blocker) in all cancer patients. However, early cardioprotective treatment in case of subclinical left ventricular dysfunction seems to be promising in the prevention of cardiac events.

Troponin as a cardiotoxicity marker in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy: A narrative review

The approach to breast cancer has changed in recent decades due to significant advances in screening, early diagnosis, and treatment; however, the risk of cardiovascular injury induced by chemotherapy has remained similar. Anthracyclines are the most common agents used in breast cancer treatment and may lead to cardiotoxicity, which appears to have a direct relationship with accumulated dose and duration of treatment. Therefore, the use of cardiac biomarkers derived from those used in cardiac disease diagnosis has been applied to the early identification, evaluation, and cardiotoxicity monitoring during chemotherapy. Cardiac troponins (cTn) have high specificities and high sensitivity in myocardial injury and are used in the diagnosis and risk stratification of acute coronary syndromes. cTn have been validated by clinical studies in the cardiotoxicity diagnosis and prognosis in patients treated with high doses of anthracyclines alone or in combination, mainly with trastuzumab. Thus, the identification of cardiotoxicity through cTn in the preclinical phase would be crucial for the application of preventive strategies. Here, we analyzed 23 cross-sectional, prospective and retrospective studies using cTn as the biomarker of cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer receiving treatment with anthracyclines. Studies showed that the association of cTn with different biomarkers can contribute to the early diagnosis of cardiotoxicity; however the main evidence is that low cTn levels is related to a better outcome with a good negative predictive value (NPV). In conclusion, different studies are still necessary for the adoption of cTn as a routine clinical biomarker in patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline treatment.

Management of Cancer Therapeutics-Related Cardiac Dysfunction

Improvements in detection and treatment of cancer have resulted in a significant increase in cancer survivors. However, cancer survivorship comes with long-term risk of adverse effects of cancer therapies, including cardiomyopathy, heart failure, arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and hypertension. There is a renewed interest in understanding the pathophysiology of cancer therapeuticserelated cardiac dysfunction. In recent years, efforts have been directed to the management of cancer therapeuticserelated cardiac dysfunction. This article discusses the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms that contribute to cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction and presents an napproach to the evaluation and treatment of these patients.

The role of cardiac biomarkers in cardio-oncology

Major advances in cancer therapy have resulted in an unprecedented improvement in patient survival for many cancers. Partially as a consequence of increased longevity, it has become evident that the cardiovascular system is frequently impacted by chemotherapy, radiation, and particularly certain targeted therapy. Cardiotoxicity continues to be a dose-limiting side effect of many chemotherapeutic agents including the anthracyclines. Early identification of patients at increased risk of cardiotoxicity or detecting cardiac injury at the earliest point will allow for initiation of cardio-protective strategies and hopefully prevent or reduce the need to modify life-saving cancer therapies. Biomarkers offer a potential solution to this clinical challenge because they may assist us in early identification of subclinical cardiac disease. In this review, we will summarize studies conducted evaluating the use of cardiac troponins (TnI, TnT) and natriuretic peptides, BNP and NT-proBNP. Other biomarkers for cardiotoxicity that have been at least preliminarily investigated, including myeloperoxidase and microRNAs, will be discussed as an exploratory tool for evidence of cardiac dysfunction during cancer treatment.

Biomarker Discovery in Cardio-Oncology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In this article, we review current and emerging approaches to biomarker discovery to facilitate early diagnosis of cancer therapy-associated cardiovascular toxicity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although small studies have demonstrated an association between established biomarkers of cardiac injury (troponins and brain natriuretic peptide) and acute or subacute cardiotoxicity, there is insufficient evidence to support their use in routine clinical care. Preclinical studies to define the molecular mechanisms of cardiotoxicity, as well as the use of unbiased "omics" techniques in small patient cohorts, have yielded promising candidate biomarkers that have the potential to enrich current risk stratification algorithms. New biomarkers of cardiotoxicity have the potential to improve patient outcomes in cardio-oncology. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical relevance of molecular mechanisms described in animal models. Similarly, findings from "omics" platforms require validation in large patient cohorts before they can be incorporated into everyday practice.

Chemotherapeutic-Induced Cardiovascular Dysfunction: Physiological Effects, Early Detection-The Role of Telomerase to Counteract Mitochondrial Defects and Oxidative Stress

Although chemotherapeutics can be highly effective at targeting malignancies, their ability to trigger cardiovascular morbidity is clinically significant. Chemotherapy can adversely affect cardiovascular physiology, resulting in the development of cardiomyopathy, heart failure and microvascular defects. Specifically, anthracyclines are known to cause an excessive buildup of free radical species and mitochondrial DNA damage (_mtDNA) that can lead to oxidative stress-induced cardiovascular apoptosis. Therefore, oncologists and cardiologists maintain a network of communication when dealing with patients during treatment in order to treat and prevent chemotherapy-induced cardiovascular damage; however, there is a need to discover more accurate biomarkers and therapeutics to combat and predict the onset of cardiovascular side effects. Telomerase, originally discovered to promote cellular proliferation, has recently emerged as a potential mechanism to counteract mitochondrial defects and restore healthy mitochondrial vascular phenotypes. This review details mechanisms currently used to assess cardiovascular damage, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and troponin levels, while also unearthing recently researched biomarkers, including circulating _mtDNA, telomere length and telomerase activity. Further, we explore a potential role of telomerase in the mitigation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and maintenance of _mtDNA integrity. Telomerase activity presents a promising indicator for the early detection and treatment of chemotherapy-derived cardiac damage.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Chemotherapeutic Agents

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We aim to summarize the effect of cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity on the development of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

RECENT FINDINGS

We discuss commonly used cancer therapeutics that have the potential for both acute and delayed cardiotoxicity. LV dysfunction from cancer therapies may be found by routine cardiac imaging prior to clinical manifestations of heart failure (HF) and we discuss the current multi-modality approaches for early detection of toxicity with the use of advanced echocardiographic parameters including strain techniques. Further, we discuss the role of biomarkers for detection of LV dysfunction from cancer therapies. Current approaches monitoring and treating LV dysfunction related to cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity include addressing modifiable cardiovascular risk factors especially hypertension and early initiation of neurohormonal blockade (NHB) with disease-modifying beta-blockers and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors. Once LV dysfunction is identified, traditional ACC/AHA guideline-directed therapy is employed. Further, we highlight the use of advanced heart failure therapies including mechanical resynchronization devices, the use of durable ventricular assist devices, and cardiac transplantation as increasingly employed modalities for treatment of severe LV dysfunction and advanced heart failure in the cardio-oncology population. This review seeks to highlight the importance of early detection, treatment, and prevention of LV dysfunction from cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity.

Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer: Where These Entities Intersect: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality in women, yet many people perceive breast cancer to be the number one threat to women's health. CVD and breast cancer have several overlapping risk factors, such as obesity and smoking. Additionally, current breast cancer treatments can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health (eg, left ventricular dysfunction, accelerated CVD), and for women with pre-existing CVD, this might influence cancer treatment decisions by both the patient and the provider. Improvements in early detection and treatment of breast cancer have led to an increasing number of breast cancer survivors who are at risk of long-term cardiac complications from cancer treatments. For older women, CVD poses a greater mortality threat than breast cancer itself. This is the first scientific statement from the American Heart Association on CVD and breast cancer. This document will provide a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of these diseases, shared risk factors, the cardiotoxic effects of therapy, and the prevention and treatment of CVD in breast cancer patients.

Cardiac biomarkers for early detection and prediction of trastuzumab and/or lapatinib-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer: a NeoALTTO sub-study (BIG 1-06)

BACKGROUND

Biomarkers of cardiac damages, such as troponin T (TnT) and the amino-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), may be useful as early predictors of cardiac dysfunction. The role of these biomarkers in patients receiving lapatinib and/or trastuzumab before anthracyclines is unknown. This study explores TnT and NT-proBNP as predictors of early cardiac toxicity in neoadjuvant breast cancer patients.

METHODS

This sub-study of the NEOALTTO trial tested if changes in the levels of TnT and NT-proBNP occurred after 2 weeks of anti-HER2 therapy (lapatinib, trastuzumab or their combination) alone and/or after 18 weeks of anti-HER2 therapy plus weekly paclitaxel.

RESULTS

173 and 172 were tested at all three timepoints for NT-proBNP and TnT, respectively. The incidence of biomarker elevation was overall low at all timepoints for all the three treatment arms. A total of 13 CEs in 11 patients occurred. Biomarker elevations in patients with CEs were very rare; only one patient with subsequent CE had a NT-proBNP elevation at baseline and at week 2.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that TnT and proBNP may not be useful as early predictors of cardiac toxicity in anthracycline-naïve patients receiving trastuzumab and/or lapatinib.

Cardiomyopathic Toxicity From Chemotherapy: Is There an Opportunity for Preemptive Intervention?

OPINION STATEMENT

The fight against cancer has never appeared more optimistic with multiple ongoing advances in cancer therapeutics; however, the prevention of cardiotoxicity from these treatments, both old and new, is a major focus of recent research. We recommend conceptualizing the prevention of cardiotoxicity as binary whereby primary prevention involves a uniform application of preventative efforts to anyone receiving a potentially cardiotoxic drug and secondary prevention directed towards those with left ventricular dysfunction, whether symptomatic or not. Recent studies suggest that cardioprotective medications such as renin-angiotensin inhibitors and beta blockers, among others, may be beneficial in the primary prevention of cardiotoxicity. Importantly, the magnitude of this protective effect appears to be driven by baseline risk of cardiac disease. In terms of secondary prevention, we recommend that patients with symptomatic heart failure related to cancer treatment should be treated as aggressively as patients with heart failure from other causes, as indicated by the most recent guidelines. We identify a relative paucity of data to guide those with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. We summarize the literature to date with an emphasis on recent investigation and outline the importance of a continued partnership between cardiologists, oncologists, and primary care providers.

Alternative Biomarkers for Combined Biology

Chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CRCD) has challenged clinicians to hesitate in using cardiotoxic agents such as anthracycline and several protein kinase inhibitors. As early detection of CRCD and timely cessation of cardiotoxic agents became a strategy to avoid CRCD, cardiac troponin and natriuretic peptide are measured to monitor cardiotoxicity; however, there are inconsistencies in their predictability of CRCD. Alternative biomarkers have been researched extensively for potential use as more sensitive and accurate biomarkers. The mechanisms of CRCD and previous studies on traditional and novel biomarkers for CRCD are examined to enlighten future direction of investigation in this combined biology.

Prevention and Monitoring of Cardiac Dysfunction in Survivors of Adult Cancers: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline

Purpose

Cardiac dysfunction is a serious adverse effect of certain cancer-directed therapies that can interfere with the efficacy of treatment, decrease quality of life, or impact the actual survival of the patient with cancer. The purpose of this effort was to develop recommendations for prevention and monitoring of cardiac dysfunction in survivors of adult-onset cancers.

Methods

Recommendations were developed by an expert panel with multidisciplinary representation using a systematic review (1996 to 2016) of meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, observational studies, and clinical experience. Study quality was assessed using established methods, per study design. The guideline recommendations were crafted in part using the Guidelines Into Decision Support methodology.

Results

A total of 104 studies met eligibility criteria and compose the evidentiary basis for the recommendations. The strength of the recommendations in these guidelines is based on the quality, amount, and consistency of the evidence and the balance between benefits and harms.

Recommendations

It is important for health care providers to initiate the discussion regarding the potential for cardiac dysfunction in individuals in whom the risk is sufficiently high before beginning therapy. Certain higher risk populations of survivors of cancer may benefit from prevention and screening strategies implemented during cancer-directed therapies. Clinical suspicion for cardiac disease should be high and threshold for cardiac evaluation should be low in any survivor who has received potentially cardiotoxic therapy. For certain higher risk survivors of cancer, routine surveillance with cardiac imaging may be warranted after completion of cancer-directed therapy, so that appropriate interventions can be initiated to halt or even reverse the progression of cardiac dysfunction.