Fetal cardiac effects of doxorubicin therapy for carcinoma of the breast during pregnancy: case report and review of the literature.
Cardiotoxicity is a recognized complication of anthracycline drugs given as part of chemotherapy; however, the pre- and postnatal cardiac effects of in utero exposure are not well documented. In this report we present a case of gestational breast cancer with initiation of four cycles of doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy after modified radical mastectomy and axilla dissection during the early second trimester. Serial echocardiographic measurements of the ventricular shortening fraction and biometry of the ventricular cavities were performed. Allowing for the individual variability of these values in the fetus no myocardial dysfunction was observed. The literature was reviewed in an attempt to delineate the possible role of prenatal echocardiography in the diagnosis of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in the fetus.
Meyer-Wittkopf
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Perinatal Medicine, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. bs-mmw@gmx.de
Barth
H
H
Emons
G
G
Schmidt
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004317:Doxorubicin