Cardioprotection of cancer patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy — current status

Abstract

Certain drugs used for the treatment of cancer can have a toxic effect on various organs and tissues, including the heart. Not only high-dose monotherapy can lead to damage to the heart muscle, but also a combination of two or three chemotherapy drugs can do so. Cancer patients receiving combination of potentially cardiotoxic anticancer therapy have an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Heart rhythm disturbances, arterial and venous thrombosis, coronary heart disease, valvular lesions, arterial hypertension and, in particular, chronic heart failure may be induced by chemotherapy. An important aspect is to identify groups of individuals with an initially high or very high risk of cardiotoxicity. Such patients should be under the supervision of a cardiologist or a multidisciplinary team for the entire duration of antitumor therapy and undergo additional examinations. Without the necessary laboratory and instrumental monitoring, it is impossible to predict in advance the development of heart failure, which often complicates life-saving chemotherapy, and in some cases even causes its cancellation. It is turned out that cardioprotection aimed at preventing myocardial dysfunction in cancer patients can prevent the development of heart failure and not to interrupt patients’ life-saving treatment even at a late stage of the disease. In the case of verified chronic heart failure, which occurred before the chemotherapy or during antitumor treatment, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and beta-blockers are used, drugs with a proven cardioprotective potential. Data is gradually accumulating on the significant effect of other groups of drugs used on the regression of chronic heart failure in cancer patients. The purpose of this review is to briefly outline the mechanisms of cardiotoxicity in various chemotherapy regimens, as well as current and future options for cardioprotection in cancer patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy.