A Prospective Study to Evaluate Cardiac Functions in Postmastectomy Left-Sided Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Doxorubicin Based Chemotherapy and Chest Wall Irradiation

Abstract

This prospective single institution study was carried out with 55 patients to evaluate the cardiac functions in left sided post mastectomy breast cancer patients who received Doxorubicin based chemotherapy with chest wall irradiation. Our study reported only 18% cardiotoxicity in contrast to about 30% in similar studies. There was a decline in the left ventricular ejection fraction after chemotherapy. Radiation did not affect left ventricular function much. The right ventricular systolic dysfunction observed in our study, as depicted by the value of TAPSE decreased after chemotherapy and then after radiation. Neither age nor the use of Taxanes following Doxorubicin administration factored much. The mean cumulative dose of Doxorubicin was confined to 360 mg/m2. Radiation induced cardiac dysfunction was mainly confined to the changes in the dimensions of the ventricles and left atrium volume. Decreased cardiotoxicity observed was probably due to short follow up of 6 months.