ABSTRACT

Cardiac tumors are a heterogeneous group of pathologic masses of the heart that contain primary tumors-benign or malignant, and secondary tumors. Metastases are significantly more frequent, mostly originating from lung, breast, gastrointestinal tract, or ovary carcinomas. Secondary cardiac tumors may be asymptomatic or may cause cardiovascular, systemic, or embolic symptoms. The study is a summary of the available knowledge on cancerous metastatic lesions of the heart. Pleural mesothelioma (48.4%), adenocarcinoma (19.5%), or squamous cell carcinoma (18.2%) of lung, breast carcinoma (15.5%), ovarian carcinoma (10.3%), and bronchoalveolar carcinomas (9.8%) are cited as the most common origin of secondary heart tumors. Masses can spread by direct tumor invasion, by lymphatic vessels, veins, or arteries. Patients with cancer and nonspecific cardiovascular symptoms should be particularly vigilant, and the possibility of metastasis in an unusual location such as the myocardium should be considered in the diagnosis. Diagnostic methods include echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and histologic evaluation. Treatment of choice is managing primary carcinoma, due to the poor outcomes of surgical methods.

PMID:37231541 | DOI:10.1097/COC.0000000000001013

10:36

PubMed articles on: Cancer & VTE/PE

Venous thromboembolism secondary to hospitalization for COVID-19: patient management and long-term outcomes

Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2023 May;7(4):100167. doi: 10.1016/j.rpth.2023.100167. Epub 2023 Apr 26.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complication of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. Little information is available on long-term outcomes of VTE in this population.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the characteristics, management strategies, and long-term clinical outcomes between patients with COVID-19-associated VTE and patients with VTE provoked by hospitalization for other acute medical illnesses.

METHODS: This is an observational cohort study, with a prospective cohort of 278 patients with COVID-19-associated VTE enrolled between 2020 and 2021 and a comparison cohort of 300 patients without COVID-19 enrolled in the ongoing START2-Register between 2018 and 2020. Exclusion criteria included age <18<3

RESULTS: Patients with VTE secondary to COVID-19 had more frequent pulmonary embolism without deep vein thrombosis than controls (83.1% vs 46.2%, P<.001),P<.001),P<.001).P= 0.9) and the proportion of patients who discontinued anticoagulation (78.0% and 75.0%, P= 0.4) were similar between the 2 groups. Thrombotic event rates after discontinuation were 1.5 and 2.6 per 100 patient-years, respectively (P = 0.4).

CONCLUSION: The risk of recurrent thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19-associated VTE is low and similar to the risk observed in patients with VTE secondary to hospitalization for other medical diseases.

PMID:37229314 | PMC:PMC10131739 | DOI:10.1016/j.rpth.2023.100167

C

12:54

Cardiotoxicity News

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Mediastinal gray zone lymphoma in a pregnant woman presenting with cardiac tamponade

Cardiooncology. 2023 May 31;9(1):27. doi: 10.1186/s40959-023-00173-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal gray zone lymphoma is a newly recognized rare B cell neoplasm, which is challenging in diagnosis and treatment.

CASE PRESENTATION: In the current study, we aimed to report a 25-year-old pregnant woman at 25 weeks of gestation who presented with chronic cough and progressive shortness of breath, hypotension, tachycardia, and tachypnea. A large circumferential pericardial effusion with compressive effect on the right atrium and right ventricle and a large extracardiac mass with external pressure to mediastinal structures were seen on trans thoracic echocardiography. The emergency pericardiocentesis was performed with the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade. Also, CMR revealed a huge heterogeneous anterior mediastinal mass, and the pathology and the immunohistochemistry of the mass biopsy revealed gray zone lymphoma with positive CD3, CD20, CD30, CD45, PAX5, and negative CD15 expression. Three courses of chemotherapy with the CHOP regimen were performed with an acceptable response every three weeks before delivery. A caesarian section was performed at 37 weeks without any problem for the patient and fetus, and chemotherapy will be started three weeks after delivery.

CONCLUSION: Cardiac tamponade as an emergency condition occurred in this pregnant patient by malignant pericardial effusion and mediastinal mass pressure. Accurate diagnosis and on time interventions caused a significant improvement and a successful delivery.

PMID:37259152 | DOI:10.1186/s40959-023-00173-2

12:54

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Gefitinib Increases the Incidence of QT Prolongation in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Int Heart J. 2023;64(3):365-373. doi: 10.1536/ihj.22-583.

ABSTRACT

Gefitinib (GEF) may increase the risk of corrected QT prolongation (QTc). We aimed to evaluate whether gefitinib increases the risk of corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation and analyze the associated risk factors.A total of 122 cases of advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received gefitinib therapy from January 2015 to December 2020 were evaluated. The results of at least two resting 12-lead electrocardiogram before and after gefitinib treatment were obtained. The Bazett and Fridericia formulas were used to calculate the QTc interval, and the changes of QTc interval values before and after treatment were evaluated. The correlation between gefitinib and QTc interval prolongation and related risk factors were analyzed.After gefitinib-targeted therapy, 23 patients (18.9%) had a prolonged QTc interval, which increased from a mean of 446 ± 25 ms at baseline to 478 ± 18 ms (P < 0.001). Three of the patients met criteria for Grade 3 QTc prolongation in the common term V5.0 for clinical adverse events. Univariate analysis showed that age (ORR, 1.054; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003-1.107; P = 0.038), history of hypertension (ORR, 3.409; 95% CI, 1.334-8.713; P = 0.01), CCB medication history (ORR, 0.259; 95% CI, 0.094-0.712; P = 0.009), history of lung cancer surgery (ORR, 0.231; 95% CI, 0.064-0.829; P = 0.025), and baseline QT interval (ORR, 0.978; 95% CI, 0.964-0.993; P = 0.004) were important predictors of QTc interval prolongation in patients treated with gefitinib. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the history of lung cancer surgery and the baseline QT interval were important factors affecting QTc interval prolongation in patients treated with gefitinib.Gefitinib increases the risk of QTc prolongation in NSCLC patients, which may be more pronounced in patients with advanced age, hypertension, CCB therapy, lung cancer surgery, and a long QT interval at baseline.

PMID:37258113 | DOI:10.1536/ihj.22-583

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PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitors-induced myocarditis: a case series

J Immunother Cancer. 2023 May;11(5):e004792. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004792.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have transformed cancer treatment over the last decade. Alongside this therapeutic improvement, a new variety of side effects has emerged, called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), potentially affecting any organ. Among these irAEs, myocarditis is rare but life-threatening.

METHODS: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional retrospective study with the aim of better characterizing ICI-related myocarditis. Myocarditis diagnosis was based on the recent consensus statement of the International Cardio-Oncology Society.

RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were identified, from six different referral centers. Most patients (55%) were treated using anti-programmed-death 1, rather than ICI combination (35%) or anti-programmed-death-ligand 1 (10%). Transthoracic echocardiography was abnormal in 52% of them, and cardiac magnetic resonance showed abnormal features in 14/24 patients (58%). Eleven patients (38%) were classified as severe. Compared with other patients, they had more frequently pre-existing systemic autoimmune disease (45% vs 6%, p=0.018), higher troponin level on admission (42-fold the upper limit vs 3.55-fold, p=0.001), and exhibited anti-acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies (p=0.001). Seven patients (24%) had myocarditis-related death, and eight more patients died from cancer progression during follow-up. Twenty-eight patients received glucocorticoids, 10 underwent plasma exchanges, 8 received intravenous immunoglobulins, and 5 other immunosuppressants. ICI rechallenge was performed in six patients, with only one myocarditis relapse.

DISCUSSION: The management of ICI-related myocarditis may be challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Prognostic features are herein described and may help to allow ICI rechallenge for some patients with smoldering presentation, after an accurate evaluation of benefit-risk balance.

PMID:37258037 | DOI:10.1136/jitc-2022-004792

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PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetic neuropathy treated with pathogenetically oriented alpha-lipoic acid versus symptomatic pharmacotherapies - a nationwide database analysis from Hungary

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2023 May 29:110734. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2023.110734. Online ahead of print.