ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of extract of Ginkgo biloba (Egb761) on doxorubicin-associated cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer (BC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty BC patients in stage IV were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group was treated with chemotherapy, using 4 cycles of PA protocol alone and the treated group with the same chemotherapy and Egb761. Changes in electrocardiogram (ECG), myocardial enzyme spectrum (MES) and ultrasono-cardiogram (USCG) before and after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the incidence of abnormal ECG was lower in the treated group than in the control group (6.7% vs 30.0%); significant differences were found between the two groups in the parameters of MES (P< 0.05); USCG showed significant difference between the two groups in left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDd), left ventricular systolic diameter (LVDs), ratio of early and late diastolic transmitral peak flow velocity (E/A) and fractional shortening (FS), while there was no significant difference in ejection fraction (EF).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Egb761 is an ideal drug for preventing and reducing the acute doxorbincin-induced cardiotoxicity; it could also be helpful for alleviating the chronic cardiotoxicity.</p>