Evaluation and management of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer: a Delphi study.
OBJECTIVE
While much progress has been made in the treatment of breast cancer, cardiac complications resulting from therapy remain a significant concern. Both anthracyclines and novel targeted agents can inflict cardiac damage. The present study aimed to evaluate the difference between what it is currently done and what standards of care should be used to minimizing and managing cardiac toxicity in breast cancer survivors.


METHODS
A two-round multicenter Delphi study was carried out. The panel consisted of 100 oncologists who were asked to define the elected therapies for breast cancer patients, the clinical definition and patterns of cancer drug-derived cardiac toxicity, and those protocols focused on early detection and monitoring of cardiovascular outcomes.


RESULTS
Experts agreed a more recent definition of cardiotoxicity. Around 38 % of patients with early-stage disease, and 51.3 % cases with advanced metastatic breast cancer had preexisting risk factors for cardiotoxicity. Among risk factors, cumulative dose of anthracycline ≥450 mg/m2and its combination with other anticancer drugs, and a preexisting cardiovascular disease were considered the best predictors of cardiotoxicity. Echocardiography and radionuclide ventriculography have been the proposed methods for monitoring changes in cardiac structure and function. Breast cancer is generally treated with anthracyclines (80 %), so that the panel strongly stated about the need to plan a strategy to managing cardiotoxicity. A decline of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >10 %, to an LVEF value <53 % was suggested as a criterion for changing the dose schedule of anthracyclines, or suspending the treatment of chemotherapy plus trastuzumab until the normalization of the left ventricular function. The use of liposomal anthracyclines was strongly suggested as a treatment option for breast cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The present report is the first to produce a set of statements on the prevention, evaluation and monitoring of chemotherapy-induced cardiac toxicity in breast cancer patients.
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Calle del Profesor Beltrán Bàguena, 8, 46009, Valencia, Spain. jogagre@hotmail.com.
J
J
Gavila
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Corporació Sanitaria ParcTaulí, Barcelona, Spain.
M Á
MÁ
Seguí
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
L
L
Calvo
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
T
T
López
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid, Spain.
J J
JJ
Alonso
Medical Department, TEVA Pharma, Madrid, Spain.
M
M
Farto
Medical Department, TEVA Pharma, Madrid, Spain.
R
R
Sánchez-de la Rosa
D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D066126:Cardiotoxicity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
Anthracycline; Breast cancer; Cardiotoxicity; Delphi study; Trastuzumab