Echocardiography in adriamycin cardiotoxicity

Pharmacological activation of GPX4 ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy

Due to the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin (DOX), its clinical application is limited. Lipid peroxidation caused by excessive ferrous iron is believed to be a key molecular mechanism of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC). Dexrazoxane (DXZ), an iron chelator, is the only drug approved by the FDA for reducing DIC, but it has many side effects and cannot be used as a preventive drug in clinical practice. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis identified myocardial and epithelial cells that are susceptible to DOX-induced ferroptosis. The glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activator selenomethione (SeMet) significantly reduced polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and oxidized lipid levels in vitro. Consistently, SeMet significantly decreased DOX-induced lipid peroxidation in H9C2 cells and mortality in C57BL/6 mice compared to DXZ, ferrostatin-1, and normal saline. SeMet can effectively reduce serum markers of cardiac injury in C57BL/6 mice and breast cancer patients. Depletion of the GPX4 gene in C57BL/6 mice resulted in an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and eliminated the protective effect of SeMet against DIC. Notably, SeMet exerted antitumor effects on breast cancer models with DOX while providing cardiac protection for the same animal without detectable toxicities. These findings suggest that pharmacological activation of GPX4 is a valuable and promising strategy for preventing the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin.

Doppler Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients with Primary Lung Cancer Treated with Doxorubicin

Eighteen patients were examined by Doppler echocardiography before and after treatment with doxorubicin (DXR). Early left ventricular filling rate decreased from 66±15 to 51±10 cm/sec whereas late filling rate increased from 48±12 to 61±9 cm/sec (p < 0.05) with inversion of the E/A ratio suggesting an impairment of left ventricular diastolic function; conversely no significant changes were found in systolic function indexes. These results suggest that follow-up of patients treated with DXR must include left ventricular diastolic function studies. Doppler echocardiography can be successfully used to detect the presence of diastolic abnormalities.

Clair DK. p53 Regulates oxidative stress-mediated retrograde signaling: a novel mechanism for chemotherapy-induced cardiac injury

The side effects of cancer therapy on normal tissues limit the success of therapy. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated for numerous chemotherapeutic agents including doxorubicin (DOX), a potent cancer chemotherapeutic drug. The production of ROS by DOX has been linked to DNA damage, nuclear translocation of p53, and mitochondrial injury; however, the causal relationship and molecular mechanisms underlying these events are unknown. The present study used wild-type (WT) and p53 homozygous knock-out (p53^−/−) mice to investigate the role of p53 in the crosstalk between mitochondria and nucleus. Injecting mice with DOX (20 mg/kg) causes oxidative stress in cardiac tissue as demonstrated by immunogold analysis of the levels of 4-hydroxy-2′-nonenal (4HNE)-adducted protein, a lipid peroxidation product bound to proteins. 4HNE levels increased in both nuclei and mitochondria of WT DOX-treated mice but only in nuclei of DOX-treated p53^(−/−) mice, implicating a critical role for p53 in causing DOX-induced oxidative stress in mitochondria. The stress-activated protein c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNKs) was activated in response to increased 4HNE in WT mice but not p53^(−/−) mice receiving DOX treatment, as determined by co-immunoprecipitation of HNE and pJNK. The activation of JNK in DOX treated WT mice was accompanied by Bcl-2 dissociation from Beclin in mitochondria and induction of type II cell death (autophagic cell death), as evidenced by an increase in LC3-I/LC-3-II ratio and γ-H2AX, a biomarker for DNA damage. The absence of p53 significantly reduces mitochondrial injury, assessed by quantitative morphology, and decline in cardiac function, assessed by left ventricular ejection fraction and fraction shortening. These results demonstrate that p53 plays a critical role in DOX-induced cardiac toxicity, in part, by the induction of oxidative stress mediated retrograde signaling.

Use of a biventricular assist device in the treatment of acute doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

This report describes a patient treated for metastatic leiomyosarcoma, who acutely developed doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, and consequently developed heart failure. Medical therapy was initiated; however, her condition deteriorated and a surgical alternative was proposed. A biventricular assist device was implanted, allowing her multisystem organ failure to improve. During the next 9 days while on the assist device, her heart failure resolved, her organs were well perfused, and her heart entered a recovery period. After 9 days of mechanical support with the biventricular assist device, she was explanted from the assist device, and with inotropic support and an intra-aortic balloon pump, she maintained adequate hemodynamics. Eighteen days after implantation of the assist device, she was discharged from the hospital with hospice care, where she later died. Although the patient's cardiac function did not have long-term recovery, short-term recovery after doxorubicin toxicity was achieved. The authors maintain that the use of a biventricular assist device in the treatment of acute heart failure resulting from doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy is an effective way to manage this patient population.

Prevention of doxorubicin (adriamycin)-induced cardiomyopathy by simultaneous administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor assessed by acoustic densitometry

The purpose of our study has to determine the myocardial protective effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor temocapril (TEM, 7 mg/kg/day) simultaneously administered with doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg of doxorubicin (each dose of 1.0 mg/kg x 15) for 3 weeks, and divided into TEM-untreated and -treated rats. Seven control rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally. Body weight, hemodynamics, and echocardiographic measurements including quantitative analysis of ultrasonic integrated backscatter (IB) were obtained for 12 weeks after treatment. Finally, rats were killed for histopathologic study. At 6 weeks, end-diastolic left ventricular diameter (LVD) and percentage fractional shortening (%FS) were similar in TEM-treated and TEM-untreated rats, but cyclic variation of IB (dB) significantly decreased in TEM-untreated rats (7.3 +/- 1.2; control rats, 9.7 +/- 0.9; p < 0.01). At 12 weeks, %FS decreased in TEM-untreated rats (26.1 +/- 6.1%: TEM-treated rats, 34.2 +/- 6.2; p < 0.05), and calibrated IB (dB) in TEM-untreated rats (15.5 +/- 0.5) increased as compared with that in TEM-treated rats (12.1 +/- 0.7; p < 0.01). Interstitial collagen accumulation increased in TEM-untreated rats and was inhibited in treated rats. Simultaneous administration of TEM with doxorubicin was beneficial in preventing doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage, and myocardial tissue characterization was useful for the early detection of myocardial damage and the assessment of therapy.

Anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy

Anthracycline cardiomyopathy is less frequently encountered nowadays, due to the well-recognised dose limitations and cardiac monitoring protocols used by chemotherapy centres. However, it is a condition that will persist due to the sensitivity of some patients to these drugs and the necessity for large doses to be used for certain individuals. We have demonstrated the benefit of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy and would consider introducing these compounds at the earliest opportunity. The use of probucol and vitamins as antioxidants capable of preventing the onset of cardiomyopathy in humans appears to require further investigation but may significantly reduce the incidence of this condition in the future.

Early detection of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity by radionuclide angiocardiography

For the early detection of myocardial damage associated with anthracycline therapy, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and radionuclide angiocardiography were used to assess cardiac function in 37 patients receiving anthracyclines (ie, adriamycin and daunorubicin at a total dose of 100-2,030 mg/m2). None of the patients developed clinical congestive heart failure. There were no significant changes of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters after anthracycline administration. The left ventricular ejection fraction did not change significantly on radionuclide angiocardiography. However, the 1/3 peak filling rate (PFR) corrected by the end-diastolic count (EDC) (1/3 PFR/EDC) and the 1/3 filling fraction (1/3 FF), the indices of early diastolic function, showed a significant decrease. These findings suggest that the 1/3 PFR/EDC and 1/3 FF determined by radionuclide imaging are useful for detecting silent myocardial damage induced by anthracyclines.

Use of ICRF-187 for prevention of anthracycline cardiotoxicity in children: preliminary results

The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of ICRF-187 as a protective agent against anthracycline cardiotoxicity. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography before and after each cycle of anthracycline chemotherapy associated with ICRF-187 and compared with that of a second group receiving anthracycline chemotherapy without ICRF-187. The patients were a group of 15 consecutive children affected with various types of solid tumors who were treated with either doxorubicin-daunomycin or epirubicin (average doses 340 and 280 mg/m2, respectively), and treatment was associated with ICRF-187. A second group of 15 consecutive children affected with different malignancies were simultaneously treated with either doxorubicin-daunomycin or epirubicin (average doses 309 and 270 mg/m2, respectively), but without ICRF-187 association. None of the patients treated with anthracyclines and ICRF-187 association showed abnormalities on echocardiographic examination. In the second group of patients treated with anthracyclines but without ICRF-187 association, we observed a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction to < 55% and a decrease in the left ventricular fractional shortening to < 28% in two patients (13.3%). One of these (6.6%) showed a dilatative cardiomyopathy. Both groups of patients were treated with low doses of anthracyclines. Although this study was not randomized, in patients without ICRF-87 cardioprotection, there was a trend for a worse evolution with one case of clinical cardiomyopathy as well as subclinical cardiac abnormalities.

Early identification of anthracycline cardiomyopathy: possibilities and implications

The number of survivors of childhood cancer affected by anthracycline cardiomyopathy is steadily increasing, despite efforts to limit cardiotoxicity by dose restriction. Cardiac function was evaluated prospectively in 125 children during treatment to attempt to identify individual susceptibilities to cardiotoxicity and hence any potential for treatment modification. Left ventricular shortening fraction was used as an index of cardiotoxicity. Shortening fraction declined as cumulative anthracycline dose increased, at an average rate of 1% per 100 mg/m2. Six patients (5%) developed heart failure. Twenty four patients (19%) had abnormal shortening fraction (< 30%) by the end of treatment, and their rate of fall of shortening fraction was significantly steeper throughout treatment than in patients finishing with normal function (shortening fraction > or = 30%). This differential susceptibility to cardiotoxicity was apparent from very early in treatment, interquartile ranges of the two shortening fraction groups separating at doses > 200 mg/m2. Patients at high risk of risk of important anthracycline cardiotoxicity may be identifiable early in treatment by regular and careful monitoring of shortening fraction. However, frequent assessment is required and this has significant resource implications.

Plasma endothelin-1 as a marker for doxorubicin cardiotoxicity

The use of doxorubicin is often limited by cardiotoxicity that can lead to congestive heart failure (CHF). Although various techniques have been used to predict its cardiotoxicity, none has proven useful. We reported 2 patients in whom the level of plasma endothelin (ET)-1 rose progressively during doxorubicin treatment of breast cancer, and who subsequently developed CHF. Accordingly, we conducted a prospective study of 30 consecutive patients, 23 with breast cancer and 7 with small-cell lung cancer, who were treated with doxorubicin. Serial changes in plasma ET-1 during doxorubicin treatment were measured by a specific radioimmunoassay, and plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were determined by a sensitive immunoradiometric assay. M-mode echocardiography was performed serially to monitor the fractional shortening (FS) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The plasma concentrations of ET-1 rose progressively in 5 of the 30 patients during doxorubicin treatment. Two of the 5 patients developed clinically overt CHF after developing cumulative doses of doxorubicin of 500 and 480 mg/m2. Serial measurement of plasma levels of ANP, FS and LVEF showed no abnormalities until the development of CHF. Another 25 patients who had received doxorubicin (cumulative doses ranging from 400 to 660 mg/m2) and had not developed CHF showed no appreciable change in plasma ET-1 or other markers. This prospective study suggests that plasma ET-1 may be useful for predicting the risk of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Cardiac diastolic function in pediatric patients receiving doxorubicin

The purpose of the study was to compare systolic and diastolic function in pediatric patients treated with doxorubicin. Left ventricular function was evaluated in 61 children prior to and following chemotherapy. None had clinical evidence of cardiac decompensation prior to treatment. All received relatively low cumulative doses of doxorubicin; the majority received the drug by continuous infusion. Systolic function was estimated using fractional shortening; diastolic function was estimated using A wave velocity, E wave velocity, E to A ratio, and deceleration time. There was a small but significant decline in systolic cardiac function as estimated from changes in fractional shortening that could not be appreciated in any of the measured parameters of diastolic function. A variety of reasons that could be responsible for the absence of significant changes in diastolic function are discussed. For the present, estimations of systolic function are preferred over the studied parameters of diastolic function in the evaluation of cardiac status in pediatric patients receiving doxorubicin containing regimens.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography: a sensitive indicator of diminished myocardial function in asymptomatic doxorubicin-treated long-term survivors of childhood cancer

Doxorubicin is an effective anticancer chemotherapeutic agent known to cause acute and chronic cardiomyopathy. To develop a more sensitive echocardiographic screening test for cardiac damage due to doxorubicin, a cohort study was performed using dobutamine infusion to differentiate asymptomatic long-term survivors of childhood cancer treated with doxorubicin from healthy control subjects. Echocardiographic data from the experimental group of 21 patients (mean age 16 +/- 5 years) treated from 1.6 to 14.3 years (median 5.3) before this study with 27 to 532 mg/m2 of doxorubicin (mean 196) were compared with echocardiographic data from 12 normal age-matched control subjects. Graded dobutamine infusions of 0.5, 2.5, 5 and 10 micrograms/kg per min were administered. Echocardiographic Doppler studies were performed before infusion and after 15 min of infusion at each rate. Dobutamine infusion at 10 micrograms/kg per min was discontinued after six studies secondary to a 50% incidence rate of adverse symptoms. The most important findings were that compared with values in control subjects, end-systolic left ventricular posterior wall dimension and percent of left ventricular posterior wall thickening in doxorubicin-treated patients were decreased at baseline study and these findings were more clearly delineated with dobutamine stimulation. End-systolic left ventricular posterior wall dimension at baseline for the doxorubicin-treated group was 11 +/- 1.9 mm versus 13.1 +/- 1.5 mm for control subjects (p less than 0.01). End-systolic left ventricular posterior wall dimension at the 5-micrograms/kg per min dobutamine infusion for the doxorubicin-treated group was 14.1 +/- 2.4 mm versus 19.3 +/- 2.6 mm for control subjects (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity: response of left ventricular ejection fraction to exercise and incidence of regional wall motion abnormalities

Gated radionuclide ventriculograms were performed to evaluate cardiac function in 53 patients who received doxorubicin treatment for various malignancies (mean dose: 449 +/- 128 mg/m2 BSA). In fourteen patients (Group I) function was evaluated before and after treatment; there was a significant decrease of resting left ventricular ejection fraction after therapy (p less than 0.001). Twenty-two patients (Group II) had serial studies during treatment which also showed a significant fall of resting left ventricular ejection fraction (p less than 0.001). Eighteen patients in Groups I and II had supine exercise studies. A normal exercise response was maintained in the majority of patients. Exercise testing added little to the diagnostic performance when compared to serial resting studies. We found regional wall motion abnormalities (mild apical hypokinesis) at rest by visual inspection in 33 of 36 Group I and Group II patients who had received doxorubicin. In the baseline or initial study, only 4 of these patients demonstrated WMA. In 18 Group I and II patients who were exercised, 3 had wall motion abnormalities during the initial study. All of these patients demonstrated wall motion abnormalities at rest after the second study, however only 7 of 18 demonstrated abnormalities during the exercise study. The results indicate that resting left ventricular ejection fraction declines after doxorubicin treatment. Exercise radionuclide angiography may not increase diagnostic accuracy for the detection of doxorubicin related cardiotoxicity. Regional wall motion abnormalities occur with a relatively high incidence following doxorubicin therapy, more readily detectable at rest. However, the exercise study can distinguish doxorubicin related wall motion abnormalities from those due to coronary artery disease.

Echocardiographic findings in children treated for malignancy with chemotherapy including adriamycin

Thirty-seven children receiving chemotherapy including adriamycin were studied with echocardiography. Abnormal left ventricular function assessed by systolic time intervals (STI) and/or left ventricular shortening fraction (delta LVID) was present in 30%, and dilated left ventricle was in 45% of the case, often accompanied by thinning the left ventricular wall. Three patients developed congestive heart failure, one with fatal outcome. Two of these patients had received chest irradiation along with the chemotherapeutic treatment. These three patients with overt heart failure had gross abnormalities in several echocardiographic variables of which delta LVID seemed most specific.

Alterations in left ventricular diastolic function with doxorubicin therapy

To determine whether impaired diastolic function may be an early sign of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity, a retrospective study was performed in 12 patients who had undergone serial radionuclide angiography and were found to have a left ventricular ejection fraction of 55% or more before doxorubicin (Adriamycin) treatment and during follow-up. Average rapid filling velocity and slow filling velocity were both significantly reduced after doxorubicin treatment. Rapid filling velocity decreased from 5.17 +/- 1.52 to 4.18 +/- 0.96 units/s (p less than 0.01), and slow filling velocity decreased from 2.20 +/- 1.32 to 1.42 +/- 0.62 units/s (p less than 0.05). There were no significant changes in filling volume ratio, total diastolic time or diastolic time ratio. Because a change in left ventricular diastolic function can occur before ejection fraction falls to subnormal levels, diastolic function as well as systolic function should be examined for the early detection of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. The clinical implications of our observations can only be established by a longer-term prospective analysis of left ventricular function in patients receiving doxorubicin therapy.

Early and delayed clinical cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin

Five hundred thirty-four evaluable patients with breast cancer were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The total planned dose of doxorubicin was 300 mg/m2 in patients with Stage II or III disease, and 450 mg/m2 in patients with isolated recurrences. The median time interval from start of adjuvant therapy to time of analysis was 68 months. Two percent had congestive heart failure associated with doxorubicin. Fifteen patients showed myocardial dysfunction attributed to either additional treatment with potentially cardiotoxic drugs for recurrent disease or other causes. The incidence of congestive heart failure was 1% in patients treated with up to 300 mg/m2, and 4% in patients who received 450 mg/m2 of doxorubicin. The median time interval from the end of doxorubicin to development of congestive heart failure was 1 month (range, 0-33 months). None of the 326 patients who have been followed 3 or more years (162 followed 5 or more years) since completion of doxorubicin therapy have developed congestive heart failure which was considered to be related from that therapy.

Late effects of treatment of cancer in children

Over the past two decades, owing to advances in surgical techniques, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, there has been dramatic improvement in the survival of children with malignancies. Children cured of cancer will soon form a significant fraction of our adult population. As we follow such survivors, we have become more aware of long-term side effects of treatment. Therapy should not be withheld. Instead, careful follow-up of oncology patients is needed to document the adverse late effects, to identify the etiologic agents, and to alter treatment to give the least toxic therapy without sacrificing the quality or duration of survival.

Possible enhancement of the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin when combined with mitomycin C

Forty-six patients with recurrent metastatic breast cancer were treated with a combination chemotherapy including doxorubicin and mitomycin C. Myocardial contractility was monitored by means of echocardiography. During therapy there was a progressive deterioration of myocardial function, and this phenomenon was found to be linearly correlated to the cumulative dose of doxorubicin. Six patients (13.8%) developed congestive heart failure during therapy; it occurred after the median cumulative dose of 322 mg/m2 (range 135-472). Possible risk factors of cardiomyopathy could be identified in only two patients. These results suggest that mitomycin C could enhance the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin.

[Possible prevention of adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy by verapamil. Results of a pilot study]

An increased cytoplasmatic calcium level seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Adriamycin (ADM)-induced cardiomyopathy. Experiments have shown that calcium channel blockers such as verapamil may prevent this type of cardiomyopathy in animals, but data are contradictory. In a clinical pilot trial, the left ventricular function of 22 patients undergoing ADM-chemotherapy in combination with verapamil was examined. M-mode echocardiograms were performed parallel to every chemotherapy course. Left ventricular function was determined by fractional shortening rate (FS) and peak fibre shortening velocity (V ef max.). Three 40-mg doses of verapamil were given p.o./day continuously. Data of these patients were compared with a control group of 61 patients treated and checked equally without additional verapamil therapy. In the course of therapy parameters of left ventricular function remained almost constant in the verapamil group but decreased significantly in the control group. In the verapamil group FS changed by -0.05 FS %/100 mg ADM/m2, V ef max. by +0.015 circ./s/100 mg ADM/m2 compared with -2.31 FS % and -0.33 circ./s in the control group (P 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). In the verapamil group no congestive heart failure occurred and no patient showed FS below 30%, whereas in the control group in 23% (14) of the cases ADM therapy had to be stopped because FS fell below 30%. One congestive heart failure was observed. These clinical results suggest that verapamil may be a useful drug for preventing ADM-induced cardiomyopathy but further investigations are necessary.

Radionuclide angiography and endomyocardial biopsy in the assessment of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity

Thirty-eight patients with a mean age of 53.2 years (19 to 75 years of age), who were receiving doxorubicin (D) for malignant disease, were studied in order to determine the relationship between functional and morphologic myocardial changes at different dose levels. Serial patient evaluations included physical examination, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), endomyocardial biopsy (EMB), and rest-exercise gated nuclear angiography (GNA), at doses of D ranging from 144 to 954 mg/m2 (mean, 426 mg/m2). Physical examination, chest x-ray, and ECG proved to be insensitive predictors of D cardiotoxicity. Correlation of GNA and EMB in 31 patient evaluations, exclusive of known heart disease, did not reveal any false-positive angiograms, and all abnormal GNAs were associated with abnormal biopsies. Use of stress GNA uncovered six abnormal ventricles which could have been missed with a rest GNA alone. It has been suggested that: (1) GNA is a reliable monitor of D therapy; (2) an exercise study should be performed when the rest ejection fraction is normal, but is unnecessary when the rest EF is abnormal; (3) all patients with a resting ejection fraction of less than 45%, exclusive of other cardiac disease, should have D discontinued; and (4) endomyocardial biopsy is useful in assessing D cardiotoxicity in patients with other possible causes of an abnormal GNA.

Sensitivity and specificity of radionuclide ejection fractions in doxorubicin cardiotoxicity

We examined radionuclide-determined left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) at rest and during graded exercise in 37 patients receiving doxorubicin (Adriamycin) therapy in whom the risk of developing congestive heart failure (CHF) was precisely defined by endomyocardial biopsy and right heart catheterization. Echocardiographic (Echo %FS) and phonocardiographic (PEP/LVET) measurements of LV function were also determined. An abnormal LVEF at rest (less than or equal to 45%) had a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 75% for detecting patients at moderate or high risk of developing CHF. The addition of exercise LVEF increased the sensitivity of detection of moderate or high-risk patients to 89% but lowered the specificity to 41%. Exercise LVEF improved the sensitivity of detection of high-risk patients from 58% to 100%. Echo %FS and PEP/LVET yielded lower sensitivities than rest or exercise LVEF. As a single test, exercise LVEF possesses the sensitivity for use as a screening method for anthracycline cardiotoxicity, but the lack of specificity prevents the use of single values as a definitive test. Single rest LVEF determinations, although more specific than exercise LVEF, do not possess the sensitivity for use as screening or definitive tests.

Noninvasive cardiac evaluation of patients receiving adriamycin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy (FAC) for stage II or III breast cancer

Cardiac function was evaluated by noninvasive methods in 55 patients with stage II or III breast cancer treated with adjuvant Adriamycin containing combination chemotherapy (FAC). None of the 44 patients who remained free of disease for a median follow-up period of 36 months, or those who were retreated with Adriamycin up to a median cumulative total dose of 450 mg/m2 (nine patients), developed clinical evidence of cardiac decompensation. The median electrocardiographic QRS voltage and ejection fraction decreased by 11% and 5%, respectively, in the former and by 21% and 10% in the latter group at the conclusion of chemotherapy. These parameters tended to return to the baseline at the time of the last visit. The decreases in QRS voltage and ejection fraction were greater in patients who received radiotherapy and had prior cardiovascular disease than in those without such risks. The remaining two patients were retreated with higher total doses of Adriamycin. Both showed clinical evidence of cardiac decompensation and gradual deterioration of the noninvasively measured parameters of cardiac function. One patient was alive six months after the discontinuation of Adriamycin at a total dose of 842 mg/m2, and the other died of pulmonary embolism two months after receiving a total of 892 mg/m2. Our study shows that Adriamycin can be included in adjuvant therapy without inducing clinically significant alterations in cardiac function; however, patients who have additional risk factors should be monitored closely with noninvasive studies while they receive this drug.

Late effects of treatment of cancer in children

Advances in surgical techniques, in chemotherapy, and in radiation therapy have led to improved survival in children treated for cancer. Children cured of cancer will soon form a significant fraction of our adult population. As we follow such survivors, we have become more aware of long-term side effects of treatment. This is not a reason to withhold therapy. Instead, careful followup of oncology patients is needed to document the late effects, to identify the etiologic agents, and to alter treatment to give the least toxic therapy without sacrificing quality or duration of survival.

Two sensitive echocardiographic techniques for detecting doxorubicin toxicity

This investigation was designed to evaluate echoes of patients who received a course of doxorubicin (225-550 mg/m2) by two sensitive indicators of myocardial fibrosis: (1) M-mode scans of thickening-thinning curves of the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW), and (2) two-dimensional qualitative evaluation of LVPW contraction at three levels of the LV short axis (leaflet, chordal, and papillary). These were compared to standard M-mode shortening fraction (delta S). Eighteen children with cancer were evaluated; 11 had received doxorubicin and 7 were treated with other agents. Echocardiographers were unaware of the treatment category. All controls and 10 of 11 doxorubicin patients had normal delta S. An M-mode echocardiogram of the expanded LVPW was digitized and wall thickness was evaluated by determining if diastolic relaxation had the normal two phases or only one; six of ten doxorubicin patients and no controls had abnormal relaxation. Qualitative evaluation of LVPW and septal contraction toward the center of the ventricle showed that seven of eleven patients who received doxorubicin and one control (a postthoracotomy patient) had contraction deficits. Six of seven with contraction deficit were the same patients with slowed relaxation. The greatest contraction deficit occurred in the LVPW behind the posterior mitral leaflet. Patients with more extensive involvement had an additional contraction deficit extending to the apex. These tests are more sensitive for detection of doxorubicin toxicity than delta S.

Myocardial accumulation of 99Tcm-pyrophosphate and 99Tcm-gluconate compared with morphologic findings in daunorubicin treated rabbits

In long-term daunorubicin treated rabbits increased myocardial accumulation of 99Tcm-pyrophosphate and 99Tcm-gluconate of a varying degree were recorded, visible at gamma camera examination in more than half of the animals. Chronic cardiomyopathy morphologically and topographically different from the ischemic myocardial injury was demonstrated in most animals at light microscopic examination. The myocardial abnormalities were classified in qualitative and quantitative scores and compared with the degree of isotope accumulation. The rabbits receiving a large single dose of daunorubicin had slightly increased isotope accumulation in the myocardium but no histopathologic changes.

Efficacy and cost of cardiac monitoring in patients receiving doxorubicin

We compared the incidence of heart failure (CHF), CHF mortality and CHF severity in cancer patients (pts) treated with doxorubicin (DXR) in the presence and absence of cardiologic monitoring (CM). CM consisted of endomyocardial biopsy and right heart catheterization as definitive tests with and without echocardiograms and phonocardiographically derived systolic time intervals as screening tests. CHF incidence was very low (0.03) in non-CM pts without risk factors (RF). RF pts had a CHF incidence of 0.17 without and 0.06 with CM (P = 0.107). Five of 58 RF pts in the non-CM group and 0 of 49 RF pts in the CM group died of problems related to CHF. CHF symptomatology by NYHA criteria was less in CM RF pts than non-CM RF pts (P = 0.034). The prevention of CHF mortality and morbidity in CM pts was not due to administering less DXR, as CM pts actually received an average of 43 mg/m2 more DXR than non-CM pts. We conclude that pts without RF need no CM during treatment with DXR, and that CM can reduce CHF severity and CHF mortality in RF pts.

Early detection of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity by M-mode echocardiography

The influence of increasing doses of doxorubicin on the heart was examined in 30 patients with solid tumors, M-mode echocardiography being used to evaluate left ventricular contractility. The function of the left ventricle remained normal in 26 subjects, whereas four patients had evidence of cardiotoxicity after cumulative doses of 220, 380, 420, and 450 mg/m2. Transient overt heart failure was noted in one subject only. Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity can be detected by M-mode echocardiography, a simple and non-invasive technique, prior to the appearance of overt congestive heart failure. Patients demonstrating left ventricular dysfunction are probably not candidates for receiving further therapy with anthracycline antibiotics. Limitation of M-mode echocardiography include a 28% incidence of inadequate studies in this group of patients, and a relative inaccuracy of the technique in evaluating patients with prior myocardial infarction.

Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in children

To characterize the long-term effects of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) on left ventricular function, a total of 588 echocardiograms were obtained prospectively in 46 children who were treated for malignancy. We found shortening fraction of the left ventricle to be more useful than systolic time intervals for detecting cardiotoxic effects. Abnormal cardiac function occurred in 43% of patients but only 4% developed congestive heart failure which was irreversible. There appeared to be strong individual variation in response to the effects of doxorubicin on the heart unrelated to treatment regimen, age of onset of treatment, or total cumulative dose. If the SF remained normal it was possible to give a dose greater than 550 mg/m2. If cardiac dysfunction occurred following cessation of doxorubicin, it did so within five months in 95% of patients. Discontinuing doxorubicin therapy in patients with SF LEss than 20% who did not have clinical signs of congestive heart failure resulted in improved shortening fraction and administration of digoxin did not further improve the SF. Sequential echographic evaluation of cardiac function at frequent intervals has proven to be useful during and following treatment with doxorubicin.

[Multidrug chemotherapy of osteogenic sarcoma (author's transl)]

Osteogenic sarcoma may be treated effectively by radical surgical removal of the primary tumor and combined chemotherapy, including Adriamycin and high dose Methotrexate. In order to render any protocol a safe procedure, strict precautions are required to avoid drug toxicity. We present a protocol, "COSS 77", presently employed in several university hospitals of West Germany and Austria. Final results concerning long term prognosis and long term side effects are not yet available.

Serial assessment of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity with quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography

We measured cardiac performance sequentially, using quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography to estimate left ventricular ejection fraction in 55 patients receiving doxorubicin for treatment of cancer. With final doxorubicin dosages greater than 350 mg per square meter, the lowest ejection fraction measured was significantly less than the initial determination. Five patients had severe cardiotoxicity (congestive heart failure). All had an ejection fraction of less than 30 per cent at the time of heart failure, and demonstrated moderate cardiotoxicity (a decline in ejection fraction by at least 15 per cent to a final value of less than 45 per cent) before clinical manifestations. Six patients with moderate toxicity in whom doxorubicin was discontinued did not have heart failure or a further decline in ejection fraction during the follow-up period. Moderate toxicity was continued, but mild toxicity (decline of ejection fraction by greater than 10 per cent, noted in 11 patients) was not well predicted. The assessment of radionuclide left ventricular ejection fraction during doxorubicin therapy may make it possible to avoid congestive heart failure.