Antioxidant Approach as a Cardioprotective Strategy in Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity (CTX) has been associated with redox signaling imbalance. In fact, redox reactions are crucial for normal heart physiology, whereas excessive oxidative stress can cause cardiomyocyte structural damage. An antioxidant approach as a cardioprotective strategy in this setting has shown encouraging results in preventing anticancer drug-induced CTX. In fact, traditional heart failure drugs as well as many other compounds and nonpharmacological strategies, with a partial effect in reducing oxidative stress, have been shown to counterbalance chemotherapy-induced CTX in this setting to some extent. Given the various pathways of toxicity involved in different chemotherapeutic schemes, interactions with redox balance need to be fine-tuned and a personalized cardioprotective approach seems to be required.