Published online Jan 26, 2021. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v13.i1.28
Peer-review started: August 30, 2020
First decision: October 23, 2020
Revised: November 7, 2020
Accepted: December 22, 2020
Article in press: December 22, 2020
Published online: January 26, 2021
Processing time: 137 Days and 10.6 Hours
Doxorubicin and other anthracycline derivatives inhibit topoisomerase II and is an important class of cytotoxic chemotherapy in cancer treatment. The use of anthracycline is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity, which may manifest initially as asymptomatic cardiac dysfunction with subsequent progression to congestive heart failure. Despite baseline assessment and periodic monitoring of cardiac function for patients receiving anthracycline agents, there are unmet needs in prediction and prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC).
A 35-year-old African American female was found to have a 9-cm high-grade osteosarcoma of right femur and normal baseline cardiac function with left ventricular ejection fraction of approximately 60%-70% determined by transthoracic and dobutamine stress echocardiogram. She underwent perioperative doxorubicin and cisplatin chemotherapy with 3 cycles before surgery and 3 cycles after surgery, and received a total of 450 mg/m2 doxorubicin at the end of her treatment course. She was evaluated regularly during chemotherapy without any cardiac or respiratory symptoms. Approximately two months after her last chemotherapy, the patient presented to the emergency department with dyspnea for one week and was intubated for acute hypoxic respiratory failure. Echocardiogram showed an ejection fraction of 5%-10% with severe biventricular failure. Despite attempts to optimize cardiac function, the patient’s hemodynamic status continued to decline, and resuscitation was not successful on the seventh day of hospitalization. The autopsy showed no evidence of osteosarcoma, and the likely cause of death was cardiac failure with the evidence of pulmonary congestion, liver congestion, and multiple body cavity effusions.
We present a case of 35-year-old African American female developing cardiogenic shock shortly after receiving a cumulative dose of 450 mg/m2 doxorubicin over 9 mo. Cardiac monitoring and management of patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy have been an area of intense research since introduction of these agents in clinical practice. We have reviewed literature and recent advances in the prediction and prevention of AIC. Although risk factors currently identified can help stratify patients who need closer monitoring, there are limitations to our current understanding and further research is needed in this field.
Core Tip: Anthracyclines may exert a direct toxic effect on cardiac myocytes, precipitating symptomatic heart failure. The case presented demonstrates an example of acute heart failure in a well-compensated young adult who did not at first glance warrant greater than routine cardiac surveillance during doxorubicin treatment course. Utilization of cardioprotective agents and cardiac strain markers such as troponin and brain natriuretic peptide may help to prevent and identify cardiac dysfunction in asymptomatic patients. Prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and cardiovascular toxicities of other anti-cancer therapy requires multidisciplinary approaches such as modification of cardiovascular risk factors, active management of comorbidities, and pharmacologic therapy in selected patients.