Approach to Lymphoma-Associated Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the myocardium that affects the heart structure and function, eventually resulting in heart failure, valvular regurgitation, arrhythmia, or even sudden cardiac death. Occurring following treatment of lymphoma, both Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's, cardiomyopathy is a feared complication in these cancer survivors due to its significant association with morbidity and mortality. A review of the literature was conducted using a combination of keywords including "Cardiomyopathy," "Anthracycline," "Radiation," "Pathogenesis," and "Management." Anthracyclines and radiation are prominent entities explored in the discussion of lymphoma-associated cardiomyopathy, whereby the formation of reactive oxygen species following treatment with both has been seen in the pathogenesis. The current standard of care thus far for anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy includes heart failure medications such as beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, aldosterone receptor antagonists, and loop-diuretics. On the other hand, radiation-induced cardiomyopathy management has not been well-established yet in literature, with agents such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory drugs still being studied in rat models. The treatment approach to cardiotoxicity in a lymphoma patient should consist of a collaboration between the oncologist and cardiologist prior to lymphoma treatment initiation, to stratify the risk of development of cardiomyopathy in the patient, and decide the best chemotherapy or radiotherapy agent, dosing, and surveillance technique.