title: Chemotherapy and Cardiotoxicity in Hematologic Malignancies.
abstract: Antineoplastic agents affect the cardiovascular system, and the incidence of cardiotoxicity is continuously growing in patients with hematologic malignancies and treated with antineoplastic therapy.
  
  
  
  In this mini-review, we analyzed existing literature which evaluates the likelihood of cardiotoxicity related to the main agents employed in the treatment of hematologic malignancies.
  
  
  
  There is a significant need to optimize the early identification of patients who are at risk of cardiotoxicity. The conventional echocardiographic measurements used to detect cardiac alterations, such as LVEF, fractional shortening, diameters and volumes, allow only a late diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction, which might be already irreversible. The early identification of patients at risk for rapid progression towards irreversible cardiac failure has a primary purpose, the opportunity for them to benefit from early preventive and therapeutic measures. A useful imaging technique that points in this direction detecting subclinical LVD may be the speckle tracking echocardiography, that has demonstrated a previous detection of myocardial contractile dysfunction compared to the traditional left ventricular ejection fraction. In this view, the discovery of new biomarkers to identify patients at a high risk for the development of these complications is another priority.
  
  
  
  Cardiotoxicity induced by anticancer drugs is always the outcome of several concurrent factors. It is plausible that an asymptomatic dysfunction precedes clinical events. During this asymptomatic phase, an early treatment prepares the patient for cardiovascular "safety" conditions; on the other hand, a late or missing treatment paves the ground for the development of future cardiac events.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, ASST Lariana Presidio Ospedaliero Sant`Anna, Como, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stellitano
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano , Italy.
authors.forename: Santina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barilla
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale, Presidio Ospedaliero Melito Porto Salvo, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iaria
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera , Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo Massimiliano
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit, Onco-Hematology Department, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano , Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martino
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Cardiotoxicity; antineoplastic agents; cardio-oncology; chemotherapy; hematological malignancies; monoclonal antibodies; tyrosine kinase