Background: Advances in cancer therapy have dramatically improved outcomes for cancer patients. However, cancer treatment can cause several cardiovascular (CV) complications, increasing cardiac mortality and morbidity in cancer patients and survivors. As a result, a new cardiology subspecialty—cardio-oncology (CO)—has been developed. The goals of CO are to understand the mechanism of the cardiotoxicity (CTX) of cancer therapies and invent the best monitoring and treatment strategies to improve the survival of cancer patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study reporting on the 6-year experience of the first CO service in Vilnius, Lithuania. Cancer patients were consulted by a single part-time specialist at Vilnius University Hospital. All new patients underwent blood tests, including cardiac biomarkers and advanced transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) with stress protocol if indicated. During a follow-up, we evaluated the association of patient survival with such variables as age, gender, reasons for referral, cancer location and stage, cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (RF), and rates and stage of CTX and treatment strategies. Results: 447 patients were consulted (70% females), and the median age was 64 years. Cardiovascular (CV) RF was common: 38.5% of patients had hypertension, almost 38% had dyslipidemia, 29% were obese, 10% were smokers, and 9% had diabetes. Nearly 26% of patients had a history of HF. Early biochemical cardiotoxicity was determined in 27%, early functional cardiotoxicity was seen in 17%, and early mixed cardiotoxicity—in 45% of referred patients treated with cardiotoxic cancer therapies. In addition, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was found in 7% of patients. Beta-blockers (BB) were administered to 61.1% of patients, while angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB) to 54.1% of patients. In addition, 18.3% of patients received loop diuretics and almost 12% mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), respectively. A total of 143 patients died during the 6-year follow-up period. The leading cause of death was primarily cancer (92.3%). Only in 5.6% of patients, cardiovascular complications were reported as the cause of death, and 2.1% of deaths were due to the COVID–19 infection. We found that age (HR 1.020 [95% CI: (1.005–1.036)] p = 0.009); LV diastolic dysfunction (HR 1.731 [95% CI: 1.115–2.689] p = 0.015; NYHA stage II (HR 2.016 [95% CI: 1.242–3.272] p = 0.005; NYHA stage III (HR 3.545 [95% CI: 1.948–6.450] p < 0.001; kidney dysfunction (HR 2.085 [95% CI: 1.377–3.159] p = 0.001; previous cancer (HR 2.004 [95% CI: 1.219–3.295] p = 0.006); tumor progression (HR 1.853 [95% CI: 1.217–2.823] p = 0.004) and lung cancer (HR 2.907 [95%CI: 1.826–4.627] p < 0.001) were statistically significantly associated with the increased risk of all-cause death. Conclusions: CO is a rapidly growing subspecialty of cardiology that aims to remove cardiac disease as a barrier to effective cancer treatment by preventing and reversing cardiac damage caused by cancer therapies. Establishing a CO service requires a cardiologist with an interest in oncology. Continuous education, medical training, and clinical research are crucial to success. Age, previous cancer, tumor progression, kidney dysfunction, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and NYHA stages were associated with increased mortality.
Background Iron deficiency (ID) and anemia are common in both heart failure (HF) and cancer patients and are associated with poor quality of life and survival. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the prevalence, types, and confounding factors of ID and anemia in patients referred to cardio-oncology clinic, and (2) identify the association between iron metabolism parameters and survival of cardio-oncology patients. Methods We assessed iron, ferritin, hemoglobin concentrations, transferrin saturation (TSAT), cancer type, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), kidney function, cardiovascular risk factors and survival in 599 patients who were referred to cardio-oncology clinic from 2011 to 2017. ID was defined by a TSAT < 20%, absolute iron deficiency (AID) with a serum ferritin level < 100 μg/L while serum ferritin level of ≥ 100 μg/L was considered as functional iron deficiency (FID) and TSAT ≥ 20% was considered as no ID. Results The prevalence of ID, AID, and FID was 46, 31, and 15% of study patients, respectively. Anemia was present in approximately half (54%) of the patients with any ID. Multivariate Cox analyses showed that male gender (HR 1.704 [1.207–2.404] p = 0.002); previous cancer history (HR 1.879 [1.079–3.272] p = 0.026); elevated BNP (HR 2.126 [1.258–3.590] p = 0.005); TSAT< 20% (HR 1.721 [1.214–2.439] p = 0.002); ferritin ≥ 100 μg/L (HR 2.008 [1.088–3.706] p = 0.026); serum iron concentration < 12 μmol/L (HR 2.292 [1.614–3.255] p < 0.001); FID (HR 2.538 [1.1618–3.981] p < 0.001) and anemia (HR 2.462 [1.734–3.495] p < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause death. Conclusions About half of cardio-oncology patients had anemia and iron deficiency, with the absolute type being twice as prevalent as the functional one. Patients with breast, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary cancer were affected more often. Both anemia and iron deficiency independently predicted all-cause mortality. Future studies are required to confirm ID as a risk factor and evaluate the clinical benefits of iron replacement therapy.
Background. Iron deficiency (ID) and anemia are common in both heart failure (HF) and cancer patients and are associated with poor quality of life and survival. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the prevalence, types, and confounding factors of ID and anemia in patients referred to cardio-oncology clinic, and (2) identify the association between iron metabolism parameters and survival of cardio-oncology patients.Methods. We assessed iron, ferritin, hemoglobin concentrations, transferrin saturation (TSAT), cancer type, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), kidney function, cardiovascular risk factors and survival in 599 patients who were referred to cardio-oncology clinic from 2011 to 2017.ID was defined by a TSAT < 20%, absolute iron deficiency (AID) with a serum ferritin level <100 μg/L while serum ferritin level of ≥100 µg/L was considered as functional iron deficiency (FID) and TSAT ≥20% was considered as no ID.Results. The prevalence of ID, AID, and FID was 46%, 31%, and 15% of study patients, respectively. Anemia was present in approximately half (54%) of the patients with any ID.Multivariate Cox analyses showed that male gender (HR 1.704 [1.207–2.404] p=0.002); previous cancer history (HR 1.879 [1.079–3.272] p=0.026); elevated BNP (HR 2.126 [1.258–3.590] p=0.005); TSAT<20% (HR 1.721 [1.214–2.439] p=0.002); ferritin c100 µg/L (HR 2.008 [1.088–3.706] p=0.026); serum iron concentration <12 µmol/L (HR 2.292 [1.614–3.255] p<0.001); FID (HR 2.538 [1.1618–3.981] p<0.001) and anemia (HR 2.462 [1.734–3.495] p<0.001) were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause death.Conclusions. About half of cardio-oncology patients had anemia and iron deficiency, with the absolute type being twice as prevalent as the functional one. Patients with breast, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary cancer were affected more often. Both anemia and iron deficiency independently predicted all-cause mortality. Future studies are required to confirm ID as a risk factor and evaluate the clinical benefits of iron replacement therapy.
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