Various chemotherapy drugs used for cancer can damage the heart, researchers have identified a test that can predict if heart problems are likely to occur due to them.
Various chemotherapy drugs used for cancer can damage the heart and researchers have identified a test that can predict if heart problems are likely to occur due to them.After chemotherapy, increased blood levels of a protein called troponin I indicate a high risk of heart problems in the next few years. The risk of cardiac events in cancer patients can be predicted by evaluating (troponin I levels after) chemotherapy.Previous reports have linked troponin I elevations with heart pumping problems in patients treated with a variety of high-dose chemotherapy regimens. However, the time course of heart damage and the effect on patient outcomes has not been studied.
Doctors can use troponin I testing to identify patients at high risk for heart problems and possibly intervene to reduce their risk.
Researchers from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, measured troponin I levels soon after chemotherapy (early) and one month later (late) in 703 cancer patients. Overall, 495 patients had no troponin I elevations, 145 had an early elevation only, and 63 had early and late elevations. During an average follow-up period of 20 months, the group without troponin I elevations experienced no drop in heart pumping ability. In the other groups, by contrast, a substantial number of patients experienced major reductions. The troponin I elevation was strongly predictive of heart problems. Going from no elevations at either time to elevations at both, the rate of such problems increased from 1 to 17 to 84 percent, respectively.
Doctors can use troponin I testing to identify patients at high risk for heart problems and possibly intervene to reduce their risk.
Circulation,
May 2004
May 2004
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