title: Cancer therapy-induced left ventricular dysfunction: interventions and prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For multiple chemotherapeutics, cardiotoxicity is dose limiting and can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Early cardiac intervention has the potential to positively affect clinical course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reviewed 247 consecutive patients referred to the Stanford cardiology clinic for cancer therapy-associated cardiac abnormalities from 2004 to 2012. A comprehensive review of records was performed, with documentation of baseline characteristics, cardiac imaging, medications, and clinical course. Seventy-nine patients who had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) declines temporally associated with cancer therapy were included. The most common malignancies were breast (46%) and hematologic (35%); 71% of the patients were female, and overall mean age was 52 years. The primary cancer therapeutics associated with LVEF decline included anthracyclines, trastuzumab, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The mean LVEF was 60% before cancer therapy and 40% after cancer therapy. The most common cardiac interventions included beta-blockers (84%) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (83%). Mean LVEF after cardiac intervention rose to 53%; 77% of patients had LVEF recovery to ≥50%, and 68% of these patients had recovery within 6 months of starting cardiac therapy; 76% of patients were able to continue their planned cancer therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With appropriate cardiac intervention, the majority of patients with LVEF decline from cancer therapy can achieve LVEF recovery and complete their cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Akanksha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. Electronic address: witteles@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Witteles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents
keywords: Cardiotoxicity; cardiomyopathy; chemotherapy