Mitigating Cardiotoxicity Associated with Anticancer Drugs: An Updated Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cardiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Anticancer medications can cause cardiotoxicity, negatively impacting patient outcomes.
• Preserving cardiac function during chemotherapy is crucial for cancer treatment efficacy and patient survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review interventions for mitigating anticancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise and pharmacological strategies in preserving cardiac function.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of three randomized controlled trials, one ATOPE trial, and one retrospective cohort study.
• Analysis of data from 448 patients to assess intervention efficacy.

Main Results:

• Exercise interventions significantly improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and prevented cardiotoxicity, especially in breast cancer patients.
• Pharmacological agents like candesartan and carvedilol showed potential in reducing early DOX-induced subclinical cardiotoxicity (DISC), with candesartan demonstrating superior efficacy.
• Combination therapy (lisinopril and bisoprolol) preserved LVEF, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors showed cardioprotective potential.

Conclusions:

• Exercise and pharmacological interventions show promise in preserving cardiac function in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
• These findings support the integration of cardioprotective strategies to improve the quality of care for cancer patients.