Adherence to antiemetic guidelines in solid cancer patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) is known to induce nausea and vomiting (CINV) in approximately 90% of cancer patients undergoing this regimen unless proper prophylactic antiemetics are administered. This study aimed to analyze the use of a three-drug prophylactic antiemetic regimen during the first cycle of chemotherapy and assess the compliance rate with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. METHODS: This retrospective study utilized data from the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2020 provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The claims data encompassed 10 to 13% of inpatients admitted at least once each year. Patients with solid cancers treated with two HEC regimens, namely anthracycline + cyclophosphamide (AC) and cisplatin-based regimens, were selected as the study population. We evaluated the use of a three-drug prophylactic antiemetic regimen, including a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, a 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone and compliance with the NCCN guidelines. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to estimate the influence of variables on guideline adherence. RESULTS: A total of 3119 patients were included in the analysis. The overall compliance rate with the NCCN guidelines for prophylactic antiemetics was 74.3%, with higher rates observed in the AC group (87.9%) and lower rates in the cisplatin group (60.4%). The AC group had a 6.37 times higher likelihood of receiving guideline-adherent antiemetics than the cisplatin group. Further analysis revealed that, compared to 2016, the probability of complying with the guidelines in 2019 and 2020 was 0.72 times and 0.76 times lower, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a considerable proportion of HEC-treated patients received guideline-adherent antiemetic therapies. However, given the variations in adherence rates between different chemotherapy regimens (AC vs. cisplatin), efforts to improve adherence and optimize antiemetic treatment remain essential for providing the best possible care for patients experiencing CINV.

Assessment of early anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and liver injury with T2 and T2* mapping in rabbit models.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the early prevalence of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) and anthracycline-induced liver injury (AILI) using T2 and T2* mapping and to explore their correlations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 17 cardiotoxic rabbits that received weekly injections of doxorubicin and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every 2 weeks for 10 weeks. Cardiac function and T2 and T2* values were measured on each period. Histopathological examinations for two to five rabbits were performed after each MRI scan. The earliest sensitive time and the threshold of MRI parameters for detecting AIC and AILI based on these MRI parameters were obtained. Moreover, the relationship between myocardial and liver damage was assessed. RESULTS: Early AIC could be detected by T2 mapping as early as the second week and focused on the 7th, 11th, and 12th segments of left ventricle. The cutoff value of 46.64 for the 7th segment had the best diagnostic value, with an area under the curve (of 0.767, sensitivity of 100%, and specificity of 52%. T2* mapping could detect the change in iron content for early AIC at the middle interventricular septum and AILI as early as the sixth week (p = 0.014, p = 0.027). The T2* values of the middle interventricular septum showed a significant positive association with the T2* values of the liver (r = 0.39, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: T2 and T2* mapping showed value one-stop assessment of AIC and AILI and could obtain the earliest MRI diagnosis point and optimal parameter thresholds for these conditions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity could be detected by T2 mapping as earlier as the second week, mainly focusing on the 7th, 11th, and 12th segments of left ventricle. Combined with T2* mapping, hepatoxicity and supplementary cardiotoxicity were assessed by one-stop scan. KEY POINTS: • MRI screening time of cardiotoxicity was as early as the second week with focusing on T2 values of the 7th, 11th, and 12th segments of left ventricle. • T2* mapping could be used as a complement to T2 mapping to evaluate cardiotoxicity and as an effective index to detect iron change in the early stages of chemotherapy. • The T2* values of the middle interventricular septum showed a significant positive association with the T2* values of the liver, indicating that iron content in the liver and heart increased with an increase in the chemotherapeutic drugs.

Impact of Aerobic Training on Cardiovascular Function, Fitness, and Patient Reported Outcomes During Anthracycline Chemotherapy: A Case Series in Women With Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy for breast cancer can increase the risk of cancer therapy related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). Exercise has been proposed to prevent CTRCD, however, research to date has indicated high degrees of individual variability following exercise interventions in this population. AIM: This study aimed to explore the impact of regular, individualized aerobic exercise on CTRCD incidence (defined by global longitudinal strain [GLS]) during and immediately upon the completion of dose-dense anthracycline (DDAC) chemotherapy in 5 women with breast cancer. METHODS: Five women receiving DDAC with stage I-III breast cancer enrolled. Participants underwent resting echocardiography and exercise testing before, during, upon the completion of, and 3 months after the completion of DDAC treatment to measure GLS and aerobic fitness (VO2peak). Participants opted-in to an individualized 8-week aerobic exercise intervention (3 sessions per week, 24 sessions total) or standard care for the duration of their DDAC treatment. Data for each participant were presented descriptively. RESULTS: Four of the 5 participants completed the exercise intervention during DDAC treatment (adherence 79.2%-91.7%). Mild asymptomatic CTRCD occurred in 2 of the 4 exercising participants, of whom both were at an increased risk (one was >65 years of age and diagnosed with hypertension, with the other receiving trastuzumab prior to DDAC treatment). Varied responses in VO2peak were observed and did not align with changes in GLS. The only participant not to complete the exercise intervention reported poorer health related quality of life and increased cancer related fatigue at all measurement timepoints. CONCLUSION: This study details the individual variability in cardiovascular responses to exercise that can occur during DDAC treatment in women with breast cancer, which can inform exercise professionals and researchers when designing individualized exercise programs for this population.

Three-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography to Evaluate Left Ventricular Function of Patients with Breast Cancer After Anthracycline Chemotherapy.

Objective: To explore the use of 3-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) to evaluate changes in left ventricular function in patients with breast cancer after anthracycline chemotherapy. Methods: The clinical data of 30 patients with breast cancer diagnosed by pathology at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University from December 2020 to December 2022 were collected for retrospective analysis. All patients received anthracycline chemotherapy, and serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) concentrations were measured within 24 to 48 hours before chemotherapy and after 1 cycle and 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Then, conventional ultrasonography, routine echocardiography, and 3DSTE were performed to obtain dynamic images and parameters such as left ventricular global longitudinal strain, global area strain, global circumferential strain, global radial strain, and twist values. The myocardial comprehensive index was calculated to compare changes before and after anthracycline chemotherapy. A receiver operating characteristic curve was created for each parameter, and the areas under the curves were calculated. Results: Except for left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and end-diastolic interventricular septum thickness, the other conventional ultrasonography parameters differed at the 3 chemotherapy time points tested (all P < .001). The parameters as measured by 3DSTE decreased with an increased cumulative dose of anthracycline drugs, and the values differed at the different time points (all P < .001); the MCI value decreased the most. The serum cTnT concentrations of 9 patients after 4 cycles of chemotherapy were higher than the normal range, and the serum cTnT concentrations differed at the different chemotherapy time points (P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve value for MCI was higher than other quantitative parameters of imaging; for MCI, the area under the curve was 0.799, the Youden index was 0.683, the sensitivity was 77.80%, and the specificity was 90.50%. Conclusion: 3DSTE is helpful for early detection of damage to left ventricular function in patients with breast cancer treated with anthracycline drugs, and MCI is the most sensitive observation index among the parameters tested.

Effects of anthracycline chemotherapy and Kuan-Sin-Yin on the spectral indices of arterial pulse waveforms in breast cancer patients.

The vascular structure and function are potentially useful biomarkers for tumor detection. Treatment with chemotherapeutic agents may impair vascular function and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to use noninvasive pulse waveform measurements to identify differences in the frequency-domain indices of the pulse waveform in breast-cancer patients following anthracycline chemotherapy between with (Group KSY) and without (Group NKSY) receiving Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY) treatment.Radial blood pressure waveform (BPW) signals were measured noninvasively for 3 minutes in 31 patients, and the FACT-G, BFI-T, and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires were administered. The following pulse indices were calculated for 10 harmonics: the amplitude proportion and its coefficient of variation, and the phase angle and its standard deviation.The changes in spectral BPW indices were more prominent in Group NKSY than in Group KSY, especially for the decreases in BPW variability indices. Scores on the FACT-G, BFI-T, and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires suggested that the quality of life following chemotherapy was better in Group KSY.The identified decreases in pulse variability indices could be related to the greater impairment of regulatory activities in Group NKSY. The present findings may be meaningful in developing techniques with advantages such as being noninvasive and time-saving to evaluate the blood supply and physiological conditions following chemotherapy or other treatment strategies in cancer patients.

Clinical Characteristics of Elderly Patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma and the Risk Factors Affecting Cardiotoxicity of Anthracycline.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of elderly patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and to identify the risk factors associated with anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity in this patient population. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 170 elderly patients (≥65 years old) with DLBCL who were treated at our hospital between January 2015 and December 2020. Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters were collected and analyzed. All patients were followed up until June 2021 to record survival, short-term efficacy, recurrence, and anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity in those who received chemotherapy. Results: Among the 170 elderly patients with DLBCL, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) were 47 and 91 months, respectively. The 3-year PFS and OS rates were 54.1% and 70.1%, while the 5-year PFS and OS rates were 47.7% and 64.1%, respectively. The objective remission rate (ORR) was 78.83%, with a complete remission rate of 44.12% and a partial remission rate of 34.71%. Out of 143 patients who received anthracycline treatment, 46 patients experienced cardiotoxicity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that non-liposomal anthracycline use, no use of dextrexacin, and diabetes mellitus with complications were significant risk factors affecting cardiotoxicity (P < .05). Conclusions: The study showed that elderly patients with DLBCL had a high incidence of cardiotoxicity when treated with anthracycline. The results emphasize the importance of considering clinical characteristics and auxiliary examinations to prevent cardiotoxicity associated with anthracycline use.

Home-Based Buddhist Walking Meditation Mitigates Cardiotoxicity of Anthracycline Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of walking meditation on vascular function, aerobic fitness, and quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy and compare with the nonexercising control group. Methods: Patients aged 40-60 years with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed resected stage I-II breast cancer were studied in a parallel randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly assigned to either the nonexercising control group (n = 15) or the Buddhist walking meditation group (n = 15). All participants received four cycles of anthracycline chemotherapy every 3 weeks starting at 2 weeks before the start of the exercise intervention. The walking meditation group performed home-based mindfulness walking exercises at a moderate exercise intensity for 30 min/session, 3 times/week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures were vascular reactivity (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) and arterial stiffness (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity [baPWV]). Results: Eleven participants from each group completed the entire study. Analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that FMD and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) decreased in both groups after the initiation of anthracycline chemotherapy (all p < 0.05). After the exercise intervention, FMD, VO2peak, peak stroke volume, and peak cardiac output remained lower in the controls, but improved in the walking meditation group (all p < 0.05). baPWV increased in the control group, while no such change was observed in the walking meditation group. There were no significant changes in blood cortisol, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-6 concentrations in both groups. Overall quality of life decreased after 2 weeks of anthracycline chemotherapy in both groups (all p < 0.05). However, the walking meditation group improved many of these symptoms significantly (all p < 0.05), while no such changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions: Buddhist walking meditation exercise was effective in mitigating cardiotoxicity of anthracycline chemotherapy on vascular function, aerobic fitness, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Clinical trial registration number: NCT02676531.

Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Injections for Anthracyclines-induced Cardiotoxicity: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections, as a relatively safe and low-cost treatment, have been widely used in the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity in China. However, the quality of the relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in recent years is uneven, so that the effectiveness and safety of TCM injections in preventing and treating anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity remain to be discussed. A systematic overview is therefore needed to provide a more advanced evidentiary reference for clinical practice. METHODS: Eight Chinese and English databases were searched by computer to screen the meta-analyses/systematic reviews on the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine injections for the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity from the database establishment to October 2022. The methodological quality and evidence quality of outcome indicators included in the study were evaluated by AMSTAR 2 tool, PRISMA statement and GRADE classification. RESULTS: A total of 7 articles were included in the study. The quality evaluation of AMSTAR 2 showed that 7 studies were extremely low-level; PRISMA stated that the evaluation results showed that the reports of 7 studies were of intermediate quality; The GRADE rating indicated that most of the evidence was of low quality. CONCLUSION: The methodological quality and evidence quality of meta-analysis/system evaluation concerning the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity by Chinese medicine are currently low, and the effectiveness of Chinese medicine in the treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity needs more high-quality evidence-based evidence.

Protective effects of Panax ginseng against doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Anthracycline-based chemotherapy increases the risk of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction. Recently, evidences from in vitro experiments and animal studies have shown that ginsenosides may exert cardiovascular protection against cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction. Here, we aimed to evaluate this effect in a clinical situation. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, women with non-metastatic breast cancer whose left ventricular ejection fraction was ≥ 50% were randomly assigned in 1:1 ratio to receive ginseng (1 g/day) or placebo besides standard chemotherapy. Echocardiographic measurements were performed at baseline, after the fourth, and eighth chemotherapy cycles. High-sensitive cardiac troponin I was assessed at baseline and after the 4th cycle. The primary endpoint of the study was change in left ventricular ejection fraction. Cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction was defined as a drop in left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥ 10% from baseline. RESULTS: Results from 30 patients were included in the final analysis (15 patients in each group). In the intervention and control groups, left ventricular ejection fraction was dropped from 62.0 ± 0.9% to 60.7 ± 1.0% (difference = -1.3 ± 1.1%) and from 63.27 ± 1.1% to 58.0 ± 1.3% (difference = -5.27 ± 0.8%), respectively (difference = 3.97%, p = 0.006) at the end of the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. After the eighth cycle of chemotherapy, the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was increased by 0.8 ± 1.3% from baseline in the intervention group, whereas the placebo group experienced a reduction of -7.3 ± 1.4% (difference = 8.1%, p-value < 0.001). None of the patients in the ginseng group in comparison to 1(6.7%, p-value = 0.5) and 5 (33.3%, p-value = 0.02) patients in the placebo group developed cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction after the fourth and eighth cycles, respectively. High-sensitive cardiac troponin I levels were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic ginseng supplementation may protect against doxorubicin-induced early cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction and early decline in left ventricular ejection fraction in breast cancer patients.

[Network Meta-analysis of traditional Chinese medicine injections against anthracycline-induced cardiac injury].

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) injections on anthracycline-induced cardiac injury. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, and other databases were electronically retrieved to gather randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of TCM injections against anthracycline-induced cardiac injury from their inception to September 2021. After two research fellows independently screened the literature and extracted the data, the risk of bias of included RCTs was assessed and network Meta-analysis was performed by R 4.1.0 and Stata 15.1. A total of 50 RCTs were included, involving eight TCM injections. Network Meta-analysis showed that:(1)the combination of anthracyclines with Huachansu Injection might be the optimal treatment to reduce the abnormal electrocardiogram.(2)The combination with Shenfu Injection might be the optimum treatment to ameliorate the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) decrease.(3)The combination with Shenqi Fuzheng Injection might reduce the incidence of cardiotoxicity most satisfactorily.(4)The combination with Xinmailong Injection might improve the elevated cardiac troponin I(cTnI) optimally.(5)The combination with Shenmai Injection might be optimal to control the rise of creatine kinase MB isoenzyme(CK-MB).(6)The combination with Kushen Injection might be the regimen with the lowest gastrointestinal reactions. TCM injections had desirable effect on anthracycline-induced cardiac injury, with low incidence of adverse reactions, and each TCM injection had its own unique advantages. Due to the limitations in quality and methodological conduct of the included studies, more high-level RCTs are needed to validate the conclusions.

Cardioprotective effect of Chinese herbal medicine for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in cancer patients: A meta-analysis of prospective studies.

BACKGROUND: To assess the benefits and harmful effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) formulations in preventing anthracyclines (ANT)-induced cardiotoxicity. METHOD: The Cochrane Library, Pubmed and EMBASE databases were electronically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published till December 2021 in English or Chinese-language, in addition to manual searches through the reference lists of the selected papers, and the Chinese Conference Papers Database. Data was extracted by 2 investigators independently. RESULT: Seventeen RCTs reporting 11 different CHMs were included in this meta-analysis. The use of CHM reduced the occurrence of clinical heart failure (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.60, P < .01) compared to the control group. Data on subclinical heart failure in terms of LVEF values showed that CHM reduced the occurrence of subclinical heart failure (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.62, P < .01) as well. CONCLUSION: CHM is an effective and safe cardioprotective intervention that can potentially prevent ANT-induced cardiotoxicity. However, due to the insufficient quality of the included trials, our results should be interpreted with cautious.

Shengmai San for Treatment of Cardiotoxicity from Anthracyclines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Shengmai San in patients with cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase Databases from the inceptions until December 2020. The Cochrane Handbook was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. Data analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Totally 19 RCTs with 2,331 participants were included in this review. Results showed that in improving arrhythmia (13 RCTs, n=1,877, RR=0.37, 95%CI 0.25 to 0.52, P<0.00001), the treatment group was superior to the control group. In terms of reducing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, 2 RCTs, n=128, MD=-0.79, 95%CI -0.93 to -0.65, P<0.00001) and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD, 2 RCTs, n=128, MD=-0.58, 95%CI -0.82 to -0.35, P<0.00001), the treatment group was also better than the control group. In reducing myocardial enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) [(3 RCTs, n=256, SMD=-0.80, 95%CI -1.16 to -0.44, P<0.0001), (2 RCTs, n=126, SMD=-0.62, 95%CI -0.98 to -0.26, P=0.0007)], the treatment group was superior to the control group. CONCLUSION: Shengmai San has a positive effect on the treatment of cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines. However, in the future, it is still necessary to conduct high-quality RCTs to verify its efficacy.

Shengmai San for Treatment of Cardiotoxicity from Anthracyclines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Shengmai San in patients with cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines.@*METHODS@#Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase Databases from the inceptions until December 2020. The Cochrane Handbook was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. Data analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.@*RESULTS@#Totally 19 RCTs with 2,331 participants were included in this review. Results showed that in improving arrhythmia (13 RCTs, n=1,877, RR=0.37, 95%CI 0.25 to 0.52, P<0.00001), the treatment group was superior to the control group. In terms of reducing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, 2 RCTs, n=128, MD=-0.79, 95%CI -0.93 to -0.65, P<0.00001) and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD, 2 RCTs, n=128, MD=-0.58, 95%CI -0.82 to -0.35, P<0.00001), the treatment group was also better than the control group. In reducing myocardial enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) [(3 RCTs, n=256, SMD=-0.80, 95%CI -1.16 to -0.44, P<0.0001), (2 RCTs, n=126, SMD=-0.62, 95%CI -0.98 to -0.26, P=0.0007)], the treatment group was superior to the control group.@*CONCLUSION@#Shengmai San has a positive effect on the treatment of cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines. However, in the future, it is still necessary to conduct high-quality RCTs to verify its efficacy.

Eficacia y seguridad de ixabepilona para el tratamiento de pacientes con cáncer de mama metastásico resistente a antraciclina, taxanos y capecitabina con estado funcional ECOG 0-1 / Efficacy and safety of ixabepilone for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines, taxanes and capecitabine with ECOG performance status 0-1

INTRODUCCIÓN: El presente dictamen expone la evaluación de la eficacia y seguridad de ixabepilona, comparado con la mejor terapia de soporte, para el tratamiento de pacientes con cáncer de mama metastásico (CMM) resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina con estado funcional ECOG 0-1. El cáncer de mama es la neoplasia más frecuente en mujeres en todo el mundo. En Perú, el cáncer de mama es la tercera causa de muerte por cáncer, con una tasa de mortalidad estandarizada por edad de 9.1 muertes por cada 100,000 habitantes. El cáncer mama metastásico (CMM) es una condición incurable que ocurre cuando la enfermedad se ha diseminado más allá de la mama y los ganglios linfáticos ipsilaterales hacia otros órganos. Se estima que la tasa de sobrevida global (SG) en pacientes con CMM, hasta los 5 años, es de aproximadamente 27 % con una mediana de SG de dos a tres años. Sin embargo, la esperanza de vida es menor a 1 año en pacientes con CMM que ya han recibido tres líneas de quimioterápicos. Asimismo, el 62 % de las pacientes con CMM tienen afectación visceral (hígado, pulmón o pleura), lo que compromete el funcionamiento normal de los órganos y las pacientes pueden presentar crisis visceral. La quimioterapia, dentro de las terapias sistémicas, es la principal opción terapéutica para la mayoría de las pacientes con CMM. No obstante, en casos muy avanzados de la enfermedad (como el CMM) y/o en casos de resistencia a varias líneas de tratamiento, las opciones terapéuticas que se pueden ofrecer a estas pacientes son escasas. Actualmente, EsSalud dispone de agentes quimioterápicos como: antraciclinas (inhibidor de topoisomerasa II), taxanos (agente anti microtúbulo) y capecitabina (inhibidor de nucleósido metabólico) para el tratamiento de pacientes con CMM. No obstante, ciertos pacientes no responden favorablemente a estos tratamientos. Los especialistas sugieren que ixabepilona puede ser una alternativa de tratamiento para los pacientes con CMM resistente a otros agentes como: antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina. METODOLOGÍA: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda de la literatura científica con el objetivo de identificar la mejor evidencia sobre la eficacia y seguridad de ixabepilona en pacientes con CMM resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina con estado funcional ECOG 0-1. La búsqueda sistemática se realizó en las principales bases de datos PubMed, The Cochrane Library y LILACS. Asimismo, se realizó una búsqueda manual dentro de las bases de datos pertenecientes a grupos que realizan evaluación de tecnologías sanitarias (ETS) y guías de práctica clínica (GPC); incluyendo el National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), la Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), el Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), la Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), el Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), el Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswese (IQWiG), la Base Regional de Informes de evaluación de tecnologías en Salud de las Américas (BRISA), la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), el Ministerio de Salud del Perú (MINSA) y el Instituto de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud e Investigación (IETSI). Además, se realizó una búsqueda de GPC de las principales sociedades o instituciones especializadas en oncología como National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) y American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Finalmente, se realizó una búsqueda manual en la página web de registro de EC de ClinicalTrials.gov del National Institutes of Health (https://clinicaltrials.gov/) para identificar EC en curso o de resultados que no hayan sido publicados aún. RESULTADOS: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda de evidencia científica con respecto al uso de ixabepilona como tratamiento de pacientes con CMM resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina con estado funcional ECOG 0-1. CONCLUSIONES:  El presente dictamen tuvo como objetivo evaluar la mejor evidencia disponible hasta julio de 2021 sobre la eficacia y seguridad de ixabepilona como terapia para pacientes con CMM resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina con ECOG 0-1.  Luego de la búsqueda sistemática, se identificaron dos GPC elaboradas por la NCCN y por la ESO-ESMO y un ensayo clínico de fase II (NCT00080262). Sobre las GPC, la NCCN señala que la mayoría de pacientes serán candidatos a múltiples líneas de terapia sistémica en función de su estado funcional; sin embargo, no especifica el número de líneas tratamiento a brindar. Dentro estos tratamientos señalan algunos como preferentes (antraciclinas, taxanos, capecitabina, gemcitabina y vinorelbina) y a otros como no preferentes (otros quimioterápicos e ixabepilona). La NCCN y la ESO-ESMO recomiendan la terapia paliativa. La NCCN recomienda que se considere no continuar con la terapia sistémica citotóxica y ofrecer la terapia paliativa en paciente con CMM que ha recibido varias líneas de quimioterápicos. La ESO-ESMO recomienda la terapia paliativa en pacientes con CMM cuyo tratamiento activo (e.g. quimioterapia) ya no sea capaz de controlar la enfermedad metastásica y la toxicidad supere los beneficios. El ensayo clínico de fase II, sin grupo control, evaluó el efecto de ixabepilona en la SG y la seguridad en pacientes con CMM resistente a antraciclina, taxanos y capecitabina. Debido al sesgo de reporte de resultados y, principalmente, la falta de grupo control, no se puede establecer una relación causal entre los resultados observados y el tratamiento con ixabepilona. Por lo tanto, no se puede determinar la eficacia comparativa entre ixabepilona y la mejor terapia de soporte que consiste en continuar con el uso de quimioterápicos y brindar cuidado paliativo. La incidencia de EA de grado 4 (34 %), el 11 % de pacientes que descontinuaron el tratamiento y la una muerte asociada al uso de ixabepilona, reportados en el EC fase II, y que fueron el motivo por que cual la EMA no aprobó su uso, sugieren que el perfil de seguridad de ixabepilona no sería favorable. Las evaluaciones de ixabepilona por parte de la EMA y la DIGEMID, basados en el EC fase II, concluyeron que los riesgos de ixabepilona superan sus potenciales beneficios en el tratamiento de pacientes con CMM. Por lo tanto, para estas instituciones tampoco sería seguro el uso de ixabepilona en el subgrupo de pacientes con CMM resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina.  Por lo expuesto, el IETSI no aprueba el uso de ixabepilona para el tratamiento de paciente con cáncer de mama metastásico resistente a antraciclinas, taxanos y capecitabina con estado funcional ECOG 0-1.

Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Molecular Insights Obtained from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs).

Anthracyclines are a class of chemotherapy drugs that are highly effective for the treatment of human cancers, but their clinical use is limited by associated dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. The precise mechanisms by which individual anthracycline induces cardiotoxicity are not fully understood. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are emerging as a physiologically relevant model to assess drugs cardiotoxicity. Here, we describe an assay platform by coupling hiPSC-CMs and impedance measurement, which allows real-time monitoring of cardiomyocyte cellular index, beating amplitude, and beating rate. Using this approach, we have performed comparative studies on a panel of four anthracycline drugs (doxorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, and daunorubicin) which share a high degree of structural similarity but are associated with distinct cardiotoxicity profiles and maximum cumulative dose limits. Notably, results from our hiPSC-CMs impedance model (dose-dependent responses and EC50 values) agree well with the recommended clinical dose limits for these drugs. Using time-lapse imaging and RNAseq, we found that the differences in anthracycline cardiotoxicity are closely linked to extent of cardiomyocyte uptake and magnitude of activation/inhibition of several cellular pathways such as death receptor signaling, ROS production, and dysregulation of calcium signaling. The results provide molecular insights into anthracycline cardiac interactions and offer a novel assay system to more robustly assess potential cardiotoxicity during drug development.

Investigation of the mechanism of the reduction of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity by Qishen Huanwu Capsule based on network pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients who receive anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens often discontinue chemotherapy due to cardiotoxicity. Preventing and reducing anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (ACT) is a hot topic in cardio-oncology research. Network pharmacology is a new discipline that integrates pharmacology, bioinformatics, and systems biology. It can be used to analyze the mechanism of action of drugs in the body from a holistic perspective by constructing a "disease-gene-drug" network, providing a new method to explore compounding mechanisms of Chinese medicine. Based on network pharmacology, this study explored the mechanism of the reduction of cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines by Qishen Huanwu Capsule. METHODS: The active ingredients of Qishen Huanwu Capsule and their targets were screened based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and Chemistry Database. The target genes of ACT were screened through the PharmGkb, GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Genetic Association Database (GAD), and Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). The Venny2.1 online analysis tool was used to construct a Venn diagram to obtain the common targets of ACT and Qishen Huanwu Capsule. The STRING platform was used to construct the protein-protein interactions (PPI) among the common targets; ClueGO software was used to perform Gene Ontology (GO) biological process enrichment analysis for the common targets; the R language was used to perform Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis; and the results were visualized using Cytoscape software. RESULTS: The predictions indicate that Qishen Huanwu Capsule has 35 main active ingredients capable of reducing the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines and that there are 36 common targets of ACT and Qishen Huanwu Capsule that are enriched in 133 biological processes and 27 signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Qishen Huanwu Capsule regulates phosphatidylinositol 3­kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), forkhead box class O (FoxO) and other signaling pathways by regulating targets such as RAC-alpha serine/threonine protein kinase (Akt1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8) and thereby inhibits oxidative stress and regulates apoptosis and autophagy to reduce the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines.

Adherence to cardiomyopathy screening guidelines among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors exposed to chest radiation and/or anthracyclines.

PURPOSE: Cancer survivors are at risk for late effects from therapeutic exposures, including cardiovascular complications. To improve outcomes among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released guidelines for screening services (based on the Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up [LTFU] guidelines) for survivors of AYA cancer. To better understand survivorship care gaps, we conducted a baseline evaluation of cardiomyopathy screening among survivors of AYA cancers. METHODS: Members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California diagnosed with cancer between ages 15 and 39 from 2000 to 2010 with at least 5-year survival after diagnosis who were exposed to chest radiation and/or anthracyclines were included. We calculated the Prevention Index ([PI], proportion of person-time covered by receipt of preventive services relative to the total person-time eligible) to evaluate adherence to recommended cardiomyopathy screenings based on the LTFU through 2016. Predictors for screening were evaluated in multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 479 survivors recommended for cardiomyopathy screening, 28 received at least one screening, and the mean PI was 2.38% (SD = 13.05%, median = 0.00%). Compared to stage I, survivors of stage II (odds ratio [OR] = 5.56 [1.05-29.46]) and stage III/IV cancer (OR = 6.08 [1.10-33.54]) were more likely to receive cardiomyopathy screening. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiomyopathy screening among survivors was low around the time when NCCN AYA oncology guidelines were released. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Our study highlights significant room for improvement for adherence to cardiomyopathy screening recommendations among survivors of AYA cancer. Attention is needed to ensure that recommended cardiomyopathy screenings are met for better management of cardiomyopathy late effects.

Platycodon grandiflorum Protects Against Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Early Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is an effective treatment used for early-stage breast cancer patients. However, anthracycline use is limited due to its cardiotoxic effects. Recent studies have shown that Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) protects the heart from anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. However, no randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial has been performed to investigate the clinical use of PG to prevent anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects and safety of PG in early breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 125 early breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy were enrolled and randomized into a PG group or placebo group in a 1:1 ratio. Results: Only 2 (3.1%) participants in the placebo group and 1 (1.6%) participant in the PG group experienced NYHA (New York Heart Association) class III or IV heart failure. There were no significant differences observed between the 2 groups. However, compared with the placebo group, patients in the PG group showed a lower incidence of subclinical heart failure (21.9% vs 8.2%, respectively, P = .033), as well as lower cardiac troponin T levels (48.4% vs 31.1%, respectively, P = .002). Importantly, there were no differences observed in the antitumor effects of anthracycline between the 2 groups (disease-free survival: hazards ratio = 1.09, 95% confidence interval = 0.45-2.62, P = .84; overall survival: hazards ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 0.33-6.43, P = .62). Conclusion: PG prevents anthracycline-induced acute and chronic cardiac injury in early-stage breast cancer patients without compromising the antitumor effects of chemotherapy.

Exercise as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for preventing cardiovascular morbidity in breast cancer patients- the BReast cancer EXercise InTervention (BREXIT) trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Anthracycline chemotherapy (AC) is an efficacious (neo) adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer (BCa), but is associated with an increased risk of cardiac dysfunction and functional disability. Observations suggest that regular exercise may be a useful therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity but it is yet to be interrogated in a large randomised trial. The primary aims of this study are to: 1) determine if 12-months of ET commenced at the onset of AC can reduce the proportion of BCa patients with functional disability (peak VO2, < 18 ml/kg/min), and 2) compare current standard-of-care for detecting cardiac dysfunction (resting left-ventricular ejection fraction assessed from 3-dimensional echocardiography) to measures of cardiac reserve (peak exercise cardiac output assessed from exercise cardiac magnetic resonance imaging) for predicting the development of functional disability 12-months following AC. Secondary aims are to assess the effects of ET on VO2peak, left ventricular morphology, vascular stiffness, cardiac biomarkers, body composition, bone mineral density, muscle strength, physical function, habitual physical activity, cognitive function, and multidimensional quality of life. METHODS: One hundred women with early-stage BCa (40-75 years) scheduled for AC will be randomized to 12-months of structured exercise training (n = 50) or a usual care control group (n = 50). Participants will be assessed at baseline, 4-weeks following completion of AC (4-months) and at 12-months for all measures. DISCUSSION: Women diagnosed with early-stage BCa have increased cardiac mortality. More sensitive strategies for diagnosing and preventing AC-induced cardiovascular impairment are critical for reducing cardiovascular morbidity and improving long-term health outcomes in BCa survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia & New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), ID: 12617001408370 . Registered on 5th of October 2017.

Utilization of Cardiac Surveillance Tests in Survivors of Breast Cancer and Lymphoma After Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and American Society of Clinical Oncology recommend consideration of the use of echocardiography 6 to 12 months after completion of anthracycline-based chemotherapy in at-risk populations. Assessment of BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) has also been suggested by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America for the identification of Stage A (at risk) heart failure patients. The real-world frequency of the use of these tests in patients after receipt of anthracycline therapy, however, has not been studied previously. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective study, using administrative claims data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, we identified 31 447 breast cancer and lymphoma patients (age ≥18 years) who were treated with an anthracycline in the United States between January 1, 2008 and January 31, 2018. Continuous medical and pharmacy coverage was required for at least 6 months before the initial anthracycline dose and 12 months after the final dose. Only 36.1% of patients had any type of cardiac surveillance (echocardiography, BNP, or cardiac imaging) in the year following completion of anthracycline therapy (29.7% echocardiography). Surveillance rate increased from 37.5% in 2008 to 42.7% in 2018 (25.6% in 2008 to 40.5% echocardiography in 2018). Lymphoma patients had a lower likelihood of any surveillance compared with patients with breast cancer (odds ratio, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.74-0.85]; P<0.001). Patients with preexisting diagnoses of coronary artery disease and arrhythmia had the highest likelihood of cardiac surveillance (odds ratio, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.39-1.69] and odds ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.3-1.53]; P<0.001 for both), although no single comorbidity was associated with a >50% rate of surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of survivors of breast cancer and lymphoma who have received anthracycline-based chemotherapy do not undergo cardiac surveillance after treatment, including those with a history of cardiovascular comorbidities, such as heart failure.