Using cardiac biomarkers and treating cardiotoxicity in cancer

Abstract

Cardiotoxicity is a frequent and serious adverse effect of both conventional and novel anticancer treatments, affecting patient survival and quality of life. The current standard for cardiac monitoring during cancer therapy, mainly based on left ventricular ejection fraction assessment, detects myocardial damage only when a functional impairment has already occurred, not allowing for early preventive strategies. Measurement of cardiospecific biomarkers has proven to have higher prognostic value than imaging modalities. In particular, cardiac troponin elevation during chemotherapy allows the identification of patients who are more prone to develop myocardial dysfunction and cardiac events during follow-up. In these patients, the use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor such as enalapril has shown to be effective in improving clinical outcome, giving the chance for a cardioprotective strategy in a selected population. Once left ventricular dysfunction occurs, heart failure therapies currently used for other forms of left ventricular dysfunction, particularly angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and β-blockers, seem to be effective. However, their use in cancer patients is still undervalued.