Cardiotoxicity of AntitumorousTreatment

Overview

Cardiotoxicity is a serious and relatively frequent complication in patients treated for cancer. Antitumoroustreatment can cause a number of undesirable cardiac side effects, such as arrhythmias,myocardial ischaemia, sudden death and heart failure. Cardiotoxicity can manifest anytime duringtreatment and anytime after its termination. Late cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines, which can manifestas chronic heart failure more than one year after termination of the treatment, is one of the most seriousproblems. In viewof indisputable success of antitumorous treatment recently, the issue of cardiotoxicitybecomes more and more relevant. The authors review the most frequent cardiac complications ofantitumorous treatment. They emphasize the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines and its derivatives,because they represent the greatest risk.Furthermore, they reviewthe cardiotoxity of other cytostatics,immunomodulators, radiotherapy and cardiac complications associated with transplantation of haematopoieticcells.

Key words:
cardiotoxicity, cytostatics, immunomodulators, radiotherapy, transplantation of haematopoieticcells