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Purpose: Trastuzumab is associated with cardiac dysfunction in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancer. The current study examines the effect of radiation therapy (RT) on cardiotoxicity in this patient population., Methods and Materials: The Herceptin Adjuvant (HERA) trial is a phase 3 prospective, randomized clinical trial that established the efficacy of trastuzumab in HER-2-positive breast cancer. The current study is a retrospective analysis of 3321 trial patients treated with trastuzumab, with or without RT. Cardiac function was closely monitored over a median follow-up period of 11 years. The primary endpoint of the current study was to determine the effect of RT on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the occurrence of cardiovascular events., Results: Patients were divided into 3 groups: 1270 patients received trastuzumab and left-sided RT (group 1); 1271 patients received trastuzumab and right-sided RT (group 2); and 780 patients received trastuzumab with no RT (group 3). The incidence of decline in LVEF documented by echocardiography was 9.18%, 8.99%, and 8.80%, respectively, with no significant differences among the 3 groups (P = .073). The incidence of cardiovascular events was low in all groups, with the lowest incidence noted in group 3 (0.62%) followed by group 2 (0.92%) and group 1 (1.08%) (P = .619). Univariate and multivariate competing-risks regression showed that left-sided and right-sided RT delivery did not significantly increase the risk of LVEF decline or cardiovascular events., Conclusions: Our analysis of the HERA trial suggests that RT does not significantly increase the risk of cardiotoxicity in HER-2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab. Continued monitoring of patients is needed to investigate late effects of contemporary treatments for breast cancer patients., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may cause potentially life-threatening adverse events (AEs), but the risk of cardiotoxicity has not been fully investigated. It is also unknown whether ICI combinations increase cardiotoxicity compared with single ICI. We aimed to assess the cardiotoxicity of ICI in a range of tumour types., Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020183524). A systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase databases, and conference proceedings was performed up to 30 June 2020. All randomised clinical trials comparing ICI with other treatments (primary objective) or dual-agent ICI versus single-agent ICI (secondary objective) in any solid tumour were included. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for cardiotoxicity events were calculated using random effect models., Results: Eighty studies including 35,337 patients were included in the analysis (66 studies with 34,664 patients for the primary endpoint and 14 studies with 673 patients for the secondary endpoint). No significant differences in terms of cardiac AEs were observed between ICI and non-ICI groups (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.88-1.48, p = 0.326) nor between dual ICI and single ICI groups (RR 1.91, 95% CI 0.52-7.01, p = 0.329). Myocarditis incidence did not significantly differ between ICI and non-ICI groups (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.64-1.92, p = 0.701) nor between dual ICI and single ICI groups (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.31-3.87, p = 0.881). No differences were observed in subgroup analyses according to tumour type, setting of disease, treatment line, and type of treatment., Conclusion: The use of ICI as single or combination regimens is not associated with increased risk of cardiotoxicity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article. EA, MC, and MB have no conflicts of interest to declare. DEF funding for his ESMO fellowship (2018–2019) from Novartis and received honoraria from Janssen for speaking (outside the submitted work). ML acted as a consultant for Roche and Novartis and received honoraria from Theramex, Takeda, Roche, Lilly, Pfizer, and Novartis (outside the submitted work). NP acted as a consultant for Lilly and has received honoraria from Roche, Lilly, Novartis, and AstraZeneca (outside the submitted work). CP has received honoraria for speaking at educational meetings from Amgen, Ferring, Incyte, Ipsen, Novartis, Pfizer, and Roche (outside the submitted work). AHA received advisory role, speaker fees, and research funding for his institute from Roche, Lilly, Amgen, EISAI, BMS, Pfizer, Novartis, MSD, Genomic Health, Ipsen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, and Leo Pharma (outside the submitted work). AS is a member of the advisory boards at BMS, Servier, Gilead, Pfizer, Eisai, Bayer, and MSD; participated in conference at Takeda, Roche, AbbVie and Amgen, Celgene, AstraZeneca, Lilly, Sandoz, Novartis, BMS, Servier, Gilead, Pfizer, ArQule, and Eisai; and was a consultant at ArQule (outside the submitted work). MP was a board member (Scientific Board) at Oncolytics, Radius; was a consultant (honoraria) at AstraZeneca, Camel-IDS, Crescendo Biologics, Debiopharm, G1 Therapeutics, Genentech, Huya, Immunomedics, Lilly, Menarini, MSD, Novartis, Odonate, Oncolytics, Periphagen, Pfizer, Roche, and Seattle Genetics; and received grants to her institute from AstraZeneca, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Radius, Roche-Genentech, Servier, and Synthon (outside the submitted work). EdA received honoraria from and was a member of advisory board at Roche/GNE, Novartis, Seattle Genetics, Zodiacs, Libbs, and Pierre Fabre; received travel grants from Roche/GNE and GSK/Novartis; received grant for his institute from Roche/GNE, Astra-Zeneca, Novartis, and Servier (outside the submitted work)., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Treatment de-escalation in early-stage, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) has been attempted in order to decrease costs and toxicities. One of the strategies pursued is decreasing trastuzumab treatment duration, with mixed results thus far. Trastuzumab-associated cardiotoxicity, however, may be more frequent with 12 months of trastuzumab compared with shorter treatment lengths. Therefore, we have conducted a meta-analysis to address this question., Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis of trials testing 12 months of adjuvant trastuzumab versus shorter regimens, reporting cardiac outcomes in patients with HER2-positive BC was performed with the random effects model with inverse variance weighting., Results: Clinical cardiac dysfunction associated with 12 months of trastuzumab versus shorter trastuzumab regimens, including 11 250 patients, showed a pooled OR (pOR) of 1.90 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.64; p value <0.001; I 2 =65.7%); in the subgroup comparison of 12 versus 6 months, the pOR was 1.57 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.90; p<0.001; I 2 =5.7%). pOR for low left ventricular ejection fraction was 1.45 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.75; p<0.001; I 2 =11.9%), 1.55 (95% CI 1.00 to 2.42; p=0.052; I 2 =0.0%) for congestive heart failure and 3.70 (95% CI 0.27 to 51.60; p=0.33; I 2 =78.8%) for premature trastuzumab discontinuation due to cardiotoxicity for 12 months versus shorter trastuzumab regimens. Funnel plot analyses indicated a low risk of publication bias., Conclusions: Compared to shorter treatment durations, there is sufficient evidence that 12 months of trastuzumab yields higher odds for the occurrence of relevant cardiac events. An individual patient-level data meta-analysis is needed in order to provide adequate data on risk factors for cardiotoxicity., Competing Interests: Competing interests: DE: funding for his fellowship: Novartis. Research grant for his institute: Roche/GNE, Radius, AstraZeneca, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Synthon, Servier and Pfizer. MAF: research grant for her institute: Roche/GNE, Radius, AstraZeneca, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Synthon, Servier and Pfizer. NFP: honoraria: MundiPharma, AstraZeneca; travel grants: Novartis, Astrazeneca, MundiPharma, Roche. MB: research grant for her institute: Roche/GNE, Radius, AstraZeneca, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Synthon, Servier and Pfizer. EdA: honoraria and advisory board: Roche/GNE, Novartis, Seatle Genetics; travel grants: Roche/GNE, GSK/Novartis; co-principal investigator of the LORELEI trial (NCT02273973). Research grant for his institute: Roche/GNE, AstraZeneca, Novartis and Servier., (© Author (s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology.)

Background: Biomarkers of cardiac damages, such as troponin T (TnT) and the amino-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), may be useful as early predictors of cardiac dysfunction. The role of these biomarkers in patients receiving lapatinib and/or trastuzumab before anthracyclines is unknown. This study explores TnT and NT-proBNP as predictors of early cardiac toxicity in neoadjuvant breast cancer patients., Methods: This sub-study of the NEOALTTO trial tested if changes in the levels of TnT and NT-proBNP occurred after 2 weeks of anti-HER2 therapy (lapatinib, trastuzumab or their combination) alone and/or after 18 weeks of anti-HER2 therapy plus weekly paclitaxel., Results: 173 and 172 were tested at all three timepoints for NT-proBNP and TnT, respectively. The incidence of biomarker elevation was overall low at all timepoints for all the three treatment arms. A total of 13 CEs in 11 patients occurred. Biomarker elevations in patients with CEs were very rare; only one patient with subsequent CE had a NT-proBNP elevation at baseline and at week 2., Conclusion: These results suggest that TnT and proBNP may not be useful as early predictors of cardiac toxicity in anthracycline-naïve patients receiving trastuzumab and/or lapatinib.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women worldwide. In every setting, the majority of women are treated with an evergrowing arsenal of therapeutic agents that have greatly improved their outcomes. However, these therapies can also be associated with significant adverse events. Areas covered: This review aims to thoroughly describe the current state of the evidence regarding the potential cardiotoxicity of agents commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer. These include chemotherapeutic agents, anti-HER2 therapies and CDK4/6 and mTOR inhibitors. Furthermore, issues related to the risk stratification and monitoring tools are explored. Expert opinion: Anthracycline- and trastuzumab-related cardiac toxicities have been extensively studied. Substantial evidence is now available concerning additional anti-HER2 agents such as pertuzumab, T-DM1 and tyrosine kinase inhibitors; overall, the cardiotoxicity profile is reassuring. Cardiac events due to endocrine therapy are mostly ischemic and, in the context of prolonged therapy, need specific attention. Novel agents implicated in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive disease are potentially arrhythmogenic and the exact risk will need to be further refined. As for today, assessment of baseline risk factors prior to treatment initiation and cardiac imaging before and during treatment remains the optimal way to prevent cardiac dysfunction. Cardioprotective therapy in primary prevention is still a matter of debate.

Purpose Women receiving trastuzumab with chemotherapy are at risk for trastuzumab-related cardiac dysfunction (TRCD). We explored the prognostic value of cardiac markers (troponins I and T, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) to predict baseline susceptibility to develop TRCD. We examined whether development of cardiac end points or significant left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) drop was associated with markers' increases. Patients and Methods Cardiac marker assessments were coupled with LVEF measurements at different time points for 533 patients from the Herceptin Adjuvant (HERA) study who agreed to participate in this study. Patients with missing marker assessments were excluded, resulting in 452 evaluable patients. A primary cardiac end point was defined as symptomatic congestive heart failure of New York Heart Association class III or IV, confirmed by a cardiologist, and a significant LVEF drop, or death of definite or probable cardiac causes. A secondary cardiac end point was defined as a confirmed significant asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic LVEF drop. Results Elevated baseline troponin I (> 40 ng/L) and T (> 14 ng/L), occurring in 56 of 412 (13.6%) and 101 of 407 (24.8%) patients, respectively, were associated with an increased significant LVEF drop risk (univariate analysis: hazard ratio, 4.52; P < .001 and hazard ratio, 3.57; P < .001, respectively). Few patients had their first elevated troponin value recorded during the study (six patients for troponin I and 25 patients for troponin T). Two patients developed a primary and 31 patients a secondary cardiac end point (recovery rate of 74%, 23 of 31). For NT-proBNP, higher increases from baseline were seen in patients with significant LVEF drop. Conclusion Elevated troponin I or T before trastuzumab is associated with increased risk for TRCD. A similar conclusion for NT-proBNP could not be drawn because of the lack of a well-established elevation threshold; however, higher increases from baseline were seen in patients with TRCD compared with patients without.

Cardio‐oncology is a rapidly growing field of cardiovascular (CV) medicine that has resulted from the continuously increasing clinical demand for specialized CV evaluation, prevention and management of patients suffering or surviving from malignant diseases. Dealing with CV disease in patients with cancer requires special knowledge beyond that included in the general core curriculum for cardiology. Therefore, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has developed a special core curriculum for cardio‐oncology, a consensus document that defines the level of experience and knowledge required for cardiologists in this particular field. It is structured into 8 chapters, including (i) principles of cancer biology and therapy; (ii) forms and definitions of cancer therapy‐related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR‐CVT); (iii) risk stratification, prevention and monitoring protocols for CTR‐CVT; (iv) diagnosis and management of CV disease in patients with cancer; (v) long‐term survivorship programmes and cardio‐oncology rehabilitation; (vi) multidisciplinary team management of special populations; (vii) organization of cardio‐oncology services; (viii) research in cardio‐oncology. The core curriculum aims at promoting standardization and harmonization of training and evaluation in cardio‐oncology, while it further provides the ground for an ESC certification programme designed to recognize the competencies of certified specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 136 Murray J, Bennett H, Bezak E, Perry R. The role of exercise in the prevention of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: systematic review. Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 351 Baum M, Buzdar AU, Cuzick J, Forbes J, Houghton J, Klijn JGM, et al. Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 588 Den Exter PL, Hooijer J, Dekkers OM, Huisman M V. Risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism and mortality in patients with cancer incidentally diagnosed with pulmonary embolism: a comparison with symptomatic patients. Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 221 Martin M, Press M, Ph D, Mackey J, Glaspy J, Chan A, et al. [Extracted from the article]

Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks HER-2 receptor, improves the survival of women with HER-2-positive early and advanced breast cancer when given with chemotherapy. Lapatinib, a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR and HER-2, is approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients after failure of prior anthracycline, taxanes and trastuzumab therapies in combination with capecitabine. Importantly, cardiac toxicity, manifested as symptomatic congestive heart failure or asymptomatic left ventricular ejection fraction decline, has been reported in some of the patients receiving these novel anti-HER-2 therapies, particularly when these drugs are used following anthracyclines, whose cardiotoxic potential has been recognized for decades. This review will focus on the incidence, natural history, underlying mechanisms, management, and areas of uncertainty regarding trastuzumab-and lapatinib-induced cardiotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Epirubicin-based chemotherapy improves the outcome of early breast cancer (BC) patients. However, cardiotoxicity remains an important side effect. Methods We re-consented node-positive BC patients enrolled in a phase III trial between 1988 and 1996 which compared six cycles of oral cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil (CMF) versus two epirubicin–cyclophosphamide regimens differing by the anthracycline cumulative dose [standard-dose epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (SDE) (8 × 60 mg/m 2 ) and higher-dose epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (HDE) (8 × 100 mg/m 2 )]. Eligible patients were those who were alive and free of disease and had no contra-indications to the proposed tests (cardiac evaluation). Cardiotoxicity was defined as asymptomatic systolic dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I) or symptomatic heart failure (NYHA Class II–IV). Differences in cardiotoxicity between CMF and SDE/HDE were assessed using chi-square and Fisher Exact tests for binary variables and t -test and Wilcoxon test for continuous variables. Results Among the 777 patients, 20 cases of CHF were reported (CMF = 1, SDE = 5, HDE = 14; p < 0.001). Between September 2010 and June 2013, 82 patients (30%) out of 269 eligible patients accepted to participate in this substudy. Median follow-up was 18 years (range 15–24). Epirubicin-treated patients had significantly higher heart rate, more abnormal echocardiograms and LVEF by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to CMF-treated ones. A trend towards higher BNP was also observed in the SDE/HDE group ( P = 0.08). No differences were observed in LVEF assessed by echocardiogram or troponin T levels. Conclusions Participation rate in this substudy was lower than expected highlighting the complexity of re-calling patients several years after the initial BC diagnosis. After 18 years, epirubicin-treated patients had a lower LVEF by MRI, more abnormal echocardiograms, higher heart rates compared to patients treated with CMF. However, no major delayed cardiotoxicity was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several breast cancer therapies can lead to cardiovascular toxicity: drugs such anthracyclines can cause permanent damage, anti-HER2 agents may cause transitory and reversible cardiac dysfunction and others, such as those used in endocrine therapy, primarily disturb lipid metabolism. Considering the seriousness of these complications, trials are now being conducted to address cardiotoxicity associated with new drugs; however, to fully understand their toxicity profiles, longer follow-up is needed. In this review, we compile the information available about cardiac toxicity related to well-established systemic breast cancer treatments, as well as newer drugs, including antiangiogenics, mTOR inhibitors and novel anti-HER2 agents. We also describe current and next generation cardiac biomarkers and functional tests that can optimize treatment and reduce and prevent the incidence of treatment-related cardiotoxicity [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The reductions in mortality and morbidity being achieved among cancer patients with current therapies represent a major achievement. However, given their mechanisms of action, many anti-cancer agents may have significant potential for cardiovascular side effects, including the induction of heart failure. The magnitude of this problem remains unclear and is not readily apparent from current clinical trials of emerging targeted agents, which generally under-represent older patients and those with significant co-morbidities. The risk of adverse events may also increase when novel agents, which frequently modulate survival pathways, are used in combination with each other or with other conventional cytotoxic chemotherapeutics. The extent to which survival and growth pathways in the tumour cell (which we seek to inhibit) coincide with those in cardiovascular cells (which we seek to preserve) is an open question but one that will become ever more important with the development of new cancer therapies that target intracellular signalling pathways. It remains unclear whether potential cardiovascular problems can be predicted from analyses of such basic signalling mechanisms and what pre-clinical evaluation should be undertaken. The screening of patients, optimization of therapeutic schemes, monitoring of cardiovascular function during treatment, and the management of cardiovascular side effects are likely to become increasingly important in cancer patients. This paper summarizes the deliberations of a cross-disciplinary workshop organized by the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (held in Brussels in May 2009), which brought together clinicians working in cardiology and oncology and those involved in basic, translational, and pharmaceutical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-DM1 has been approved for the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer. Cardiac dysfunction is a side effect of trastuzumab, a component of T-DM1. However, little is known about T-DM1-associated cardiotoxicity. We have conducted a pooled analysis of T-DM1 trials in advanced HER2+ breast cancer cases to understand the incidence, clinical presentation as well as to establish possible risk factors for T-DM1-associated cardiotoxicity. The primary endpoint was the incidence of cardiac events (CEs). CEs were categorized as follows: (1) congestive heart failure (CHF) or grade 3/4 LVEF drop; (2) cardiac ischemia, (3) cardiac arrhythmia, (4) grade 1/2 LVEF drop. Secondary endpoints included CE recovery rate and impact of CEs on treatment discontinuation. Logistic regression was used to assess possible risk factors for CEs. Individual patient-level data from 1961 patients exposed to T-DM1 in seven trials were pooled. Of these, 1544 received T-DM1 and 417 T-DM1 + pertuzumab. CHF/LVEF drop grade 3/4 was reported in 0.71%, cardiac ischemia in 0.1%, cardiac arrhythmia in 0.71% and grade 1/2 LVEF drop in 2.04%. The total CE rate was 3.37% (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.6%–4.3%). Multivariate analysis showed patient's age ≥65 (OR 3.0; 95% CI, 1.77–5.14; P -value <0.001) and baseline LVEF<55% (OR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.29–5.32; P -value 0.008) as risk factors. CEs resolved in most (79%) patients after treatment discontinuation. The incidence of CEs in patients receiving T-DM1 was low. Older patients receiving T-DM1 should be carefully followed for cardiac safety during treatment. • Little is known about cardiac toxicity during T-DM1 treatment. • This is a pooled analysis comprising 1961 patients exposed to T-DM,1 investigating cardiac events. • The total cardiac event rate was 3.37%, mostly asymptomatic LVEF drops. • Cardiac events can occur during T-DM1 treatment but are rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]