Detecting subclinical anthracycline therapy-related cardiac dysfunction in patients attending Uganda Cancer Institute.

Anthracyclines are drugs for treating many types of cancers. They may however be harmful to the heart. This anthracycline side effect will first cause subtle heart­cell injury that can be detected and treated if it is handled early. Therefore, this study aims to study patients in the Uganda Cancer Institute to find out how many patients can get and who are likely to get this side effect. We found that 35% of the patients had subtle heart­cell injury and 8.8% had a more severe form of heart­cell injury. The patients who lived with HIV, whose heart was weaker and who got subtle heart­cell injury immediately after treatment were more likely to get the severe form of the side effect. Patients who receive anthracycline therapy need to be monitored closely to prevent serious heart injury.