title: Cardiotoxicity of anthracycline therapy: current perspectives.
abstract: Anthracyclines, especially doxorubicin and daunorubicin, are the drugs of first choice in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies, soft-tissue sarcomas, and solid tumors. Unfortunately, the use of anthracyclines is limited by their dose-dependent and cumulative cardiotoxicity. The molecular mechanism responsible for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity remains poorly understood, although experimental and clinical studies have shown that oxidative stress plays the main role. Hence, antioxidant agents, especially dexrazoxane, and also other drug classes (statins, β-blockers) proved to have a beneficial effect in protecting against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. According to previous clinical trials, the major high-risk factors for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity are age, body weight, female gender, radiotherapy, and other diseases such as Down syndrome, familial dilated cardiomyopathy, diabetes and hypertension. Consequently, further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and also to discover new cardioprotective agents against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valcovici
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania; Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Florina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andrica
authors.affiliation: Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania; Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serban
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania; Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dragan
keywords: anthracycline; breast cancer; cardiotoxicity; doxorubicin