Alternative Biomarkers for Combined Biology

Abstract

Synopsis The combined use of traditional and novel anti-neoplastic agents has significantly increased survival of patients suffering from various malignancies. However, 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 the timely cessation of cardiotoxic agents became a strategy to avoid CRCD, cardiac troponin and natriuretic peptide are widely measured to monitor cardiotoxicity, yet there are inconsistencies in their predictability of CRCD. Consequently, alternative biomarkers have been extensively researched for potential use as more sensitive and accurate biomarkers. In this review, the mechanisms of CRCD and previous studies on traditional and novel biomarkers for CRCD were examined to enlighten future direction of investigation in this combined biology.

Protecting the heart in cancer therapy

“…Although the use of these blood biomarkers is currently recommended in the evaluation and surveillance of patients with CTIC 5 , 8 , their helpfulness remains disputed owing to inconsistent results in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, and reliability 148 . Hence, various other alternative blood biomarkers have been studied in recent years, either alone or in combination, and shown also to be clinically predictive of CTIC, e.g.…”