Recovery of chemotherapy-induced left ventricular dysfunction in cancer survivors.

Abstract

136 Background: Chemotherapy-induced left ventricular dysfunction (CILVD) leading to heart failure (HF) is a clinical problem of emerging importance particularly with the 14.5 million cancer survivors who are alive in the United States today, and projected to increase to almost 19 million in 2024. Many of these survivors have received cardiotoxic anticancer agents such as anthracycline and trastuzumab. Research showed that those exposed to anthracyclines are expected to have some degree of cardiac dysfunction 10 to 20 years after treatment and 5% of those patients will develop overt HF. This pilot study investigated whether cancer survivors with CILVD who achieved recovery of cardiac function will maintain their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) if HF medications were discontinued. Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study on 20 cancer survivors with history of CILVD with recovered cardiac function. HF medications were weaned off in a stepwise process per protocol. Cardiac function was monitored with LVEF measurement per echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers performed at baseline, 2, 4 and 6 months. Patients monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, and symptoms and reported changes based on set parameters. Results: Cancer survivors who maintained their LVEF after discontinuation of HF medications were younger (mean age 47.9 years SD+12.0), 65% female, 55% breast cancer survivors, with no history ofischemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiac dysrhythmias. Chemotherapeutic agents (mean dose) used in the treatment of these patients include doxorubicin (363 mg/m2), epirubicin (527mg /m2), cyclophosphamide (5062 mg), and trastuzumab (6317 mg). There was no significant change from baseline measurements of LVEF and global longitudinal strain (GLS) of 55.1% (± 3.7) GLS of -18.3% (± 2.7) prior to weaning the HF medication to 56% (± 1.6) GLS of -18.2% (± 2.3). after complete withdrawal of HF medications. Conclusions: With the increasing number of young cancer survivors, CILVD may become a frequent clinical issue. Clearly, there is a need to examine the safety of withdrawing HF medications in cancer survivors with CILVD and if lifelong therapy with HF medications is necessary.

A high burden of comorbid conditions leads to decreased survival in breast cancer

“…For example, the CDC reports that almost one third of all American adults have been diagnosed with hypertension (8). If a patient with a long history of hypertension now presents with breast cancer and cannot tolerate her neoadjuvant chemotherapy due to the previous damage her heart has sustained that will have a negative consequence on the treatment plan overall (9,10). Without that critical reduction in tumor burden the surgery may have to be drastically altered and could result in far greater morbidity and decreased survival.…”