ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer treated with adjuvant hypofractionation radiotherapy with two different techniques, i.e., volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and their effects in terms of loco-regional control and adverse effects in terms of cutaneous, pulmonary, and cardiac outcomes are compared.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective non-randomized observational study. VMAT and IMRT plan for 30 breast cancer patients who were supposed to receive adjuvant radiotherapy were prepared using a hypofractionation schedule. The plans were dosimetrically evaluated.

OBJECTIVE: Dosimetric comparative analysis of IMRT and VMAT in hypofractionated radiotherapy in breast cancer is done and tested whether VMAT has a dosimetric advantage over IMRT. These patients were recruited for a clinical assessment of toxicities. They were followed up for at least three months.

RESULT: On dosimetric analysis, planning target volume (PTV) coverage (PTV_ V95) of both VMAT (96.41 ± 1.31) and IMRT (96.63 ± 1.56) were similar with significantly lower monitor units required with VMAT plans (1,084.36 ± 270.82 vs 1,181.55 ± 244.50, p = 0.043). Clinically, all patients tolerated hypofractionation through VMAT (n = 8) and IMRT (n = 8) satisfactorily in the short term. No cardiotoxicity or appreciable falls in pulmonary function test parameters were observed. Acute radiation dermatitis poses challenges similar to standard fractionation or any other delivery technique.

CONCLUSION: PVT dose, homogeneity, and conformity indices were similar in both VMAT and IMRT groups. In VMAT, there was high-dose sparing of some critical organs like the heart and lungs at the cost of the low-dose baths to these organs. Increased risk of secondary cancer will require a decade-long follow-up study to indict the VMAT technique. As we move toward precision in oncology, "one-size-fits-all" can never be an acceptable dictum. Each patient is unique and therefore we must offer, and the patient must "choose wisely."

PMID:37228558 | PMC:PMC10206676 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.38045

20:56

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Cardiovascular toxicity of checkpoint inhibitors: review of associated toxicity and design of the Spanish Immunotherapy Registry of Cardiovascular Toxicity

Clin Transl Oncol. 2023 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s12094-023-03217-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have changed the prognosis of many tumors. However, concerning associated cardiotoxicity has been reported. Little is known about the real-life incidence-specific surveillance protocols or the translational correlation between the underlying mechanisms and the clinical presentation of ICI-induced cardiotoxicity. The lack of data from prospective studies led us to review the current knowledge and to present the creation of the Spanish Immunotherapy Registry of Cardiovascular Toxicity (SIR-CVT), a prospective registry of patients receiving ICI that aims to examine the role of hsa-miR-Chr8:96, (a specific serum biomarker of myocarditis) in the early diagnosis of ICI-induced myocarditis. An exhaustive prospective cardiac imaging study will be performed before and during the first 12 months of treatment. The correlation between clinical, imaging, and immunologic parameters may improve our understanding of ICI-induced cardiotoxicity and enable simpler surveillance protocols. We assess ICI-induced cardiovascular toxicity and describe the rationale of the SIR-CVT.

PMID:37227656 | DOI:10.1007/s12094-023-03217-2

20:56

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Patient-reported ability to walk 4 m and to wash: New clinical endpoints and predictors of survival in patients with pre-terminal cancer

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2023 May 24. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.13247. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Maintaining the ability to perform self-care is a critical goal in patients with cancer. We assessed whether the patient-reported ability to walk 4 m and wash oneself predict survival in patients with pre-terminal cancer.

METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study on 169 consecutive hospitalized patients with cancer (52% female, 64 ± 12 years) and an estimated 1-12 months prognosis at an academic, inpatient palliative care unit. Patients answered functional questions for 'today', 'last week', and 'last month', performed patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and physical function assessments.

RESULTS: Ninety-two (54%) patients reported the ability to independently walk 4 m and 100 (59%) to wash 'today'. The median number of days patients reported the ability to walk 4 m and wash were 6 (IQR 0-7) and 7 (0-7) days ('last week'); and 27 (5-30) and 26 (10-30) days ('last month'). In the last week, 32% of patients were unable to walk 4 m on every day and 10% could walk on 1-3 days; 30% were unable to wash on every day and 10% could wash on 1-3 days. In the last months, 14% of patients were unable to walk 4 m on every day and 10% could only walk on 1-10 days; 12% were unable to wash on every day and 11% could wash on 1-10 days. In patients who could walk 'today' average 4 m gait speed was 0.78 ± 0.28 m/s. Patients who reported impaired walking and washing experienced more symptoms (dyspnoea, exertion, and oedema) and decreased physical function (higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status, and lower Karnofsky Performance Status and hand-grip strength [unable vs. able to walk 'today': 205 ± 87 vs. 252 ± 78 Newton, P = 0.001; unable vs. able to wash 'today': 204 ± 86 vs. 250 ± 80 Newton, P = 0.001]). During the 27 months of observation, 152 (90%) patients died (median survival 46 days). In multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, all tested parameters were independent predictors of survival: walking 4 m 'today' (HR 0.63, P = 0.015), 'last week' (per 1 day: HR 0.93, P = 0.011), 'last month' (per 1 day: HR 0.98, P = 0.012), 4 m gait speed (per 1 m/s: HR 0.45, P = 0.002), and washing 'today' (HR 0.67, P = 0.024), 'last week (per 1 day HR 0.94, p=0.019), and 'last month' (per 1 day HR 0.99, P = 0.040). Patients unable to walk and wash experienced the shortest survival and most reduced functional status.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with pre-terminal cancer, the self-reported ability to walk 4 m and wash were independent predictors of survival and associated with decreased functional status.

PMID:37222009 | DOI:10.1002/jcsm.13247

20:57

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Integrative transcriptomics and cell systems analyses reveal protective pathways controlled by Igfbp-3 in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity

FASEB J. 2023 Jun;37(6):e22977. doi: 10.1096/fj.202201885RR.

ABSTRACT

Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin (Dox) are effective chemotherapeutic agents; however, their use is hampered by subsequent cardiotoxicity risk. Our understanding of cardiomyocyte protective pathways activated following anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) remains incomplete. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) 3 (Igfbp-3), the most abundant IGFBP family member in the circulation, is associated with effects on the metabolism, proliferation, and survival of various cells. Whereas Igfbp-3 is induced by Dox in the heart, its role in AIC is ill-defined. We investigated molecular mechanisms as well as systems-level transcriptomic consequences of manipulating Igfbp-3 in AIC using neonatal rat ventricular myocytes and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Our findings reveal that Dox induces the nuclear enrichment of Igfbp-3 in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, Igfbp-3 reduces DNA damage, impedes topoisomerase IIβ expression (Top2β) which forms Top2β-Dox-DNA cleavage complex leading to DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), alleviates detyrosinated microtubule accumulation-a hallmark of increased cardiomyocyte stiffness and heart failure-and favorably affects contractility following Dox treatment. These results indicate that Igfbp-3 is induced by cardiomyocytes in an effort to mitigate AIC.

PMID:37219486 | DOI:10.1096/fj.202201885RR

20:57

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

An integrative review of nonobvious puzzles of cellular and molecular cardiooncology

Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2023 May 23;28(1):44. doi: 10.1186/s11658-023-00451-y.

ABSTRACT

Oncologic patients are subjected to four major treatment types: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. All nonsurgical forms of cancer management are known to potentially violate the structural and functional integrity of the cardiovascular system. The prevalence and severity of cardiotoxicity and vascular abnormalities led to the emergence of a clinical subdiscipline, called cardiooncology. This relatively new, but rapidly expanding area of knowledge, primarily focuses on clinical observations linking the adverse effects of cancer therapy with deteriorated quality of life of cancer survivors and their increased morbidity and mortality. Cellular and molecular determinants of these relations are far less understood, mainly because of several unsolved paths and contradicting findings in the literature. In this article, we provide a comprehensive view of the cellular and molecular etiology of cardiooncology. We pay particular attention to various intracellular processes that arise in cardiomyocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells treated in experimentally-controlled conditions in vitro and in vivo with ionizing radiation and drugs representing diverse modes of anti-cancer activity.

PMID:37221467 | PMC:PMC10207659 | DOI:10.1186/s11658-023-00451-y

20:57

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Severe sotorasib-related hepatotoxicity and non-liver adverse events associated with sequential anti-PD(L)1 and sotorasib therapy in KRASG12C-mutant lung cancer

J Thorac Oncol. 2023 May 20:S1556-0864(23)00572-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.05.013. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Sequential anti-PD-(L)1 followed by small targeted therapy use is associated with increased prevalence of adverse events (AEs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). KRASG12C inhibitor sotorasib may trigger severe immune-mediated hepatotoxicity when used in sequence or in combination with anti-PD-(L)1. This study was designed to address whether sequential anti-PD-(L)1 and sotorasib therapy increases the risk of hepatotoxicity and other AEs.

METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective study of consecutive advanced KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC treated with sotorasib outside clinical trials in 16 French medical centers. Patient records were reviewed to identify sotorasib-related AEs (NCI-CTCAE v5.0). Grade 3 and higher AE was considered as severe. Sequence group was defined as patients who received an anti-PD-(L)1 as last line of treatment before sotorasib initiation and control group as patients who did not receive an anti-PD-(L)1 as last line of treatment before sotorasib initiation.

RESULTS: We identified 102 patients who received sotorasib, including 48 (47%) in sequence group and 54 (53%) in control group. Patients in control group received an anti-PD-(L)1 followed by at least one treatment regimen before sotorasib in 87% of the cases or did not receive an anti-PD-(L)1 at any time before sotorasib in 13% of the cases. Severe sotorasib-related AEs were significantly more frequent in sequence group compared to control group (50% vs 13%, p<0.001).<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Sequential anti-PD-(L)1 and sotorasib therapy is associated with a significantly increased risk of severe sotorasib-related hepatotoxicity and severe non-liver AEs. We suggest avoiding starting sotorasib within 30 days from the last anti-PD-(L)1 infusion.

PMID:37217096 | DOI:10.1016/j.jtho.2023.05.013

20:57

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Diastolic function assessment with left atrial strain in long-term survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2023 May 20:S1885-5857(23)00138-X. doi: 10.1016/j.rec.2023.05.001. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Survivors of childhood cancer might be at increased risk of diastolic dysfunction at follow-up due to exposure to cardiotoxic treatment. Although assessment of diastolic function is challenging in this relatively young population, left atrial strain might provide a novel insight in this evaluation. Our aim was to examine diastolic function in a cohort of long-term survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia by using left atrial strain and conventional echocardiographic parameters.

METHODS: Long-term survivors who were diagnosed at a single center between 1985 and 2015 and a control group of healthy siblings were recruited. Conventional diastolic function parameters and atrial strain were compared, and the latter was measured during the 3 atrial phases: reservoir (PALS), conduit (LACS) and contraction (PACS). Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to account for differences between the groups.

RESULTS: We analyzed 90 survivors (age, 24.6 ± 9.7 years, time since diagnosis 18 [11-26] years) and 58 controls. PALS and LACS were significantly reduced compared with the control group: 46.4 ± 11.2 vs 52.1 ± 11.7; P = .003 and 32.5 ± 8.8 vs 38.2 ± 9.3; P = .003, respectively. Conventional diastolic parameters and PACS were similar between the groups. The reductions in PALS and LACS were associated with exposure to cardiotoxic treatment in age- and sex-adjusted analysis (≥ moderate risk, low risk, controls): 45.4 ± 10.5, 49.5 ± 12.9, 52.1 ± 11.7; Padj = .003, and 31.7 ± 9.0, 35.2 ± 7.5, 38.2 ± 9.3; Padj = .001, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Long-term childhood leukemia survivors showed a subtle impairment of diastolic function that was detected with atrial strain but not with conventional measurements. This impairment was more pronounced in those with higher exposure to cardiotoxic treatment.

PMID:37217136 | DOI:10.1016/j.rec.2023.05.001

20:57

PubMed articles on: Cardio-Oncology

Correlation between high-resolution computed tomography appearance and histopathological features in the diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases. A real-life study

Minerva Surg. 2023 May 23. doi: 10.23736/S2724-5691.23.09948-3. Online ahead of print.