Anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity: epidemiology, surveillance, prophylaxis, management, and prognosis

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is of considerable concern, as it may compromise the clinical effectiveness of treatment, affecting both quality of life and overall survival in cancer patients, independently of the oncological prognosis. It is probable that anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is a unique and continuous phenomenon starting with myocardial cell injury, followed by progressive left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decline that, if disregarded and not treated progressively leads to overt heart failure. The main strategy for minimizing anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is early detection of high-risk patients and prompt prophylactic treatment. According to the current standard for monitoring cardiac function, cardiotoxicity is usually detected only when a functional impairment has already occurred, precluding any chance of its prevention. At present, anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity can be detected at a preclinical phase, very much before the occurrence of heart failure symptoms, and before the LVEF drops by measurement of cardiospecific biochemical markers or by Doppler myocardial and deformation imaging. The role of troponins in identifying subclinical cardiotoxicity and treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, in order to prevent LVEF reduction is an effective strategy that has emerged in the last 15 years. If cardiac dysfunction has already occurred, partial or complete LVEF recovery may still be achieved if cardiac dysfunction is detected early after the end of chemotherapy and heart failure treatment is promptly initiated.