The Cardiac Dysfunction of Anthracycline based Chemotherapy in Patients with Breast Cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cancer outcomes continue to improve dueto earlier detection and newer targeted therapies, withanthracycline chemotherapy playing a major role in themodern era of cancer treatment. Anthracyclines are listedamong the World Health Organization (WHO) model list ofessential medicines. Study aimed to evaluate the incidenceof the subclinical cardiac dysfunction associated withAnthracyclines based regimen in patients with breast cancerat a tertiary care center.Material and Methods: 110 patients with breast cancerpatients receiving Anthracycline-based chemo regimenwere enrolled in the study. All enrolled patients with breastcancer underwent baseline cardiac assessment and periodicmonitoring of cardiac function by noninvasive diagnostictoolsResults: The incidence of Anthracycline-induced cardiacabnormalities in this study was 38.1%. The incidence ofsubclinical cardiac dysfunction was more than overt cardiacdysfunction. The overt cardiac abnormality was observed in13.6% and subclinical cardiac dysfunction was observed in24.5% of our patients.Conclusion: Early identification of patients with subclinicalcardiac dysfunction aids in early intervention and preventionof further deterioration of cardiac dysfunction.