Cardio-Oncology Preclinical Models: A Comprehensive Review

Area of Science:

• Cardio-oncology
• Preclinical models
• Drug toxicity

Background:

• Cardiotoxicity is a significant side effect of cancer therapies, leading to long-term health issues and mortality in survivors.
• The exact mechanisms of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity remain unclear, hindering cardiac safety assessment and prediction.
• Technological advancements in radiation therapy and novel anticancer drugs necessitate improved preclinical models for detecting cardiotoxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current preclinical models for assessing cardiotoxicity from antineoplastic drugs and radiotherapy.
• To provide an overview of the existing applications and limitations of these models.
• To discuss future directions for translational research in cardio-oncology.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on preclinical models for cardiotoxicity assessment.
• Focus on multicellular spheroid models as advanced in vitro systems.
• Analysis of current applications and translational potential.

Main Results:

• Traditional preclinical models have shown limited success in predicting cardiotoxicity.
• Multicellular spheroid models are emerging as promising tools due to their ability to mimic the in vivo microenvironment.
• There is a need for more efficient and predictive models to ensure cardiac safety during cancer treatment.

Conclusions:

• Efficient preclinical models are crucial for evaluating cardiotoxicity associated with cancer therapies.
• Multicellular spheroids offer a more relevant in vitro system for studying drug- and radiotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity.
• Further translational research is essential to improve cardiac safety in oncology.