Cancer therapy induced cardiotoxicity: monitoring

Background: Chemotherapies are highly effective in treating most cancers, but their use is limited by potential cardiotoxicity, the most serious of a wide range of adverse effects. The severity of these effects is related to the chemotherapy regimen, patient population characteristics and duration.

Objective: To review strategies to reduce cardiotoxicity in patients who receive chemotherapies.

Materials and Method: We reviewed and abstracted information from published peer review journals and provided examples from our relevant experiences.

Results: The severity of these effects is related to the chemotherapy regimen, patient population characteristics and duration. The incidence of cardiomyopathy because of chemotherapy varies and its onset can be acute (during or shortly after treatment), sub-acute (within days or weeks after completion of chemotherapy) or chronic (weeks to months after drug administration). A number of risk factors may predispose a patient to certain cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicities. These can be identified, monitored, and possibly modified before initiation of cancer therapy so that cardiotoxicity can be prevented where possible.

Conclusion: Cardiotoxicity is an adverse event associated with many cancer therapy agents. The potential for cardiotoxic events should be recognized before therapy is started and serial monitoring of ventricular performance in order to minimize the possibility of irreversible cardiac damage.