Moderate-dose doxorubicin does not affect right ventricular size or function parameters in lymphoma patients-a...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Doxorubicin is a common chemotherapy agent used for lymphoma.
• Cardiotoxicity, particularly affecting the right ventricle (RV), is a concern with doxorubicin treatment.
• Monitoring RV size and function is crucial for managing chemotherapy-induced cardiac side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of doxorubicin on echocardiographic parameters of RV size and function in lymphoma patients.
• To compare these parameters against established guideline-defined normal values.
• To assess RV changes over time during and after doxorubicin therapy.

Main Methods:

• 356 lymphoma patients undergoing doxorubicin chemotherapy were enrolled.
• Echocardiography was performed at baseline (T0), 3-6 months (T1), and 6-18 months (T2) post-treatment.
• Key RV parameters including end-systolic area, fractional area change, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, S', and RV free wall strain were analyzed.

Main Results:

• End-systolic area increased, while fractional area change, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, S', and RV free wall strain decreased over time.
• Despite these changes, all measured RV parameters remained within normal guideline-defined values.
• No significant differences in RV parameters were observed across different doxorubicin dosage groups (<200, 200-300, >300 mg/m²).

Conclusions:

• Echocardiography-derived parameters of RV size and function remained within normal guideline-defined values up to 12.98 ± 2.6 months post-treatment.
• Doxorubicin treatment did not lead to clinically significant RV dysfunction in this cohort of lymphoma patients.
• These findings support the continued use of doxorubicin while emphasizing the importance of regular cardiac monitoring.