Utility of routine pretreatment evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction in breast cancer patients receiving anthracyclines

Pre-Treatment Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Assessment and Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes in Adolescent and Young Adult Lymphoma Survivors

Purpose: Anthracyclines can cause long-term cardiovascular (CV) morbidity, especially in long-term Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) lymphoma survivors. Pre-treatment left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) evaluation is recommended, although its utility in AYA is not established. We sought to determine the pre-treatment LVEF assessment practices in AYA lymphoma survivors treated with anthracyclines and factors associated with long-term cardiotoxicity. Methods: Through an electronic health records review, we retrospectively identified AYA lymphoma survivors with ≥5 years of follow-up postanthracycline treatment. Pre-treatment and follow-up data were abstracted. CV health conditions were defined as risk factors for CV disease and confirmed CV diagnoses. Survivors who had new CV health conditions at follow-up were compared to those who were not using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: One hundred fifteen AYA lymphoma survivors met the study criteria. Pre-treatment LVEF assessment did not affect chemotherapy decisions. Survivors with pre-treatment CV evaluation had mean follow-up since diagnosis of 8 ± 3.3 years, while survivors without it had 10.3 ± 4.2 years, p < 0.05. Survivors with pre-treatment LVEF assessment received lower cumulative anthracycline dose (240.4 mg/m² vs. 280.1 mg/m², p < 0.05) and fewer cycles of chemotherapy (4.8 ± 1.5 vs. 5.6 ± 1.2, p < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) category at diagnosis and follow-up, in addition to age were associated with development of new CV health conditions, pre-treatment LVEF evaluation was not. Conclusion: Pre-treatment LVEF assessment for AYA lymphoma survivors does not impact oncologic treatment decisions or development of CV health conditions. It may be more valuable to assess and modify CV risk factors such as BMI for CV disease prevention.

Approaches for monitoring and treating cardiomyopathy among cancer survivors following anthracycline or thoracic radiation treatment

Background

Anthracycline chemotherapy and thoracic radiation therapy (RT) are known causes of cardiomyopathy among cancer survivors, however, management guidelines for this population are lacking. In this study we describe our single institution management approach for cancer survivors with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) secondary to cancer treatment.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of childhood and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors in the Adult Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center enrolled between November 2005 and July 2019. Those included were treated with anthracycline and/or thoracic RT as a part of their cancer therapy and had recorded a LVEF of < 55% on at least one post-treatment echocardiogram. Details regarding survivor characteristics, screening, and management were abstracted. Differences in management approaches among survivors with LVEF of 50–54.9%, 40–49.9%, and < 40% were described. Qualitative management approaches were abstracted as well.

Results

Among 668 CAYA survivors in the initial cohort, 80 were identified who had received anthracycline and/or thoracic RT and had a LVEF of < 55%. Median age at cancer diagnosis was 16.1 years, median time from cancer diagnosis was 25.8 years, and 55% of survivors were female. Cardiology referrals, nuclear stress tests, multi-gated acquisition scans, angiograms, echocardiograms, treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or receptor blockers, beta-blockers, diuretics, aldosterone antagonists, aspirin, and insertion of pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators differed by LVEF category. Documentation suggested uncertainty regarding management of survivors with borderline low-LVEF, with low-LVEF that improved on follow-up, and with subsequent cancers requiring additional treatment.

Conclusions

The management of CAYA cancer survivors with low-LVEF largely followed guidelines designed for the general population, however, uncertainty remains for issues specific to cancer survivors. Cardiomyopathy management guidelines that address issues specific to cancer survivors are needed.

Vascular and Cardiac Prognostic Determinants in Patients with Gynecological Cancers: A Six-Year Follow-up Study

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the role of cardiac and vascular parameters as all-cause mortality determinants in patients suffering from gynecological cancers. Methods: This was an observational, prospective, non-randomized, and non-controlled study. Forty-seven consecutive patients (mean age: 58 ± 13 years) were enrolled after cancer staging. All patients underwent evaluation of vascular (common carotid intima-media thickness (mean C-IMT), flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD), and antero-posterior diameter of the infrarenal abdominal aorta (APAO)) and cardiac function and morphology before cancer-related interventions. A 6-year follow-up was carried out to assess the overall survival of the whole population. Results: Twenty patients (42%) died by the time of the 6-year follow-up. The brachial artery FMD values were higher in the survivors than the non-survivors (9.71 ± 3.53% vs. 6.13 ± 2.62%, p < 0.001), as well as the LVEF (60.8 ± 3.0% vs. 57.8 ± 4.4%, p = 0.009). There were no differences in the mean C-IMT, APAO, and other echocardiographic parameters. ROC curve analysis identified a baseline LVEF < 57% and FMD value < 5.8% as the best cut-offs. Kaplan–Meier evaluation showed that the LVEF, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and FMD were the best predictors of all-cause mortality, although only the LVEF and FMD were confirmed in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusions: The LVEF and brachial artery FMD are independent prognostic determinants in patients with gynecological cancers.